Recycling Benefits Schools and the Environment
Going Green? Consider the Benefits of Plastic Milk Bottle.
The plastic bottles used in the New Look of School Milk (NLSM) program present districts with new recycling options that can help schools “go green” and lead to decreased landfill use and waste-hauling costs.
Neither paperboard cartons nor plastic bottles degrade readily in landfills. However, paper cartons are rarely recycled since few facilities are capable of handling the polycoated layers. Plastic milk bottles are recyclable and the demand for the high density polyethylene (HDPE) in recycled plastic bottles exceeds the current supply.
Recycled plastic milk bottles are used to make a variety of products, including high value benches, playground equipment and composite decking. Making new items from recycled resin rather than natural resin saves both natural resources and about half the energy required in processing. In fact, recycling a ton of plastic bottles saves about 3.8 barrels of oil.1
Learn more about recycling plastic milk bottles.
1Killinger, Jennifer. “Information Sheet.” American Chemistry Council. March 2007Additional resources:
Comparing Paperboard Milk Cartons Versus Plastic Bottles Recycling
Find a side-by-side comparison that details the recycling of paperboard milk cartons and plastic bottles.
The Benefits of Recycling Plastic Milk Bottles
Discover the benefits of recycling plastic bottles and how to get the most from your recycling program.
How to Recycle School Assessment Guide
Evaluate your current recycling program and learn what steps you can take to take to become a recycler.
Going, Going...Green! With Recyclable Plastic Milk Bottles
Share this handout with stakeholders making recycling decisions in your district.