Dear Recycle Lady,
Why do beer companies still sell beer in glass bottles when Coca Cola and Pepsi use plastic bottles?
Puzzled
Dear Puzzled,
Besides glass being eco-friendly packaging and made from sand, which is an abundantly available natural resource, there are several reasons for packaging beer in glass. According to roetell.com, the primary reason for the superiority of glass beer bottles is that they preserve the taste and quality of beer. Additionally, the brown and green bottles protect the beer from ultraviolet (UV) exposure, a chemical reaction that can result in beer with a “skunk” flavor. Another advantage to storing beer in colored glass bottles it that it keeps its flavor up to four times longer than if it is stored in plastic bottles or clear glass bottles. According to summerstirs.com, glass also prevents oxygen from entering the bottle, causing oxidation that negatively impacts the taste and aroma of beer. Prior to the 17th century, beer was sold in ceramic or wooden containers, which were prone to spoilage, according to roetell.com. When glassblowers began making bottles for liquid, the beer industry found that the bottles were a much better packaging for their beer. According worldhistory.org, the first beer in the world was brewed by the ancient Chinese around the year 7000 BCE. However, what is known today as beer brewing began in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iran) between 3500 – 3100 BCE and probably much earlier. See worldhistory.org for a most interesting history of beer.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Please tell me there is progress being made in the big business world so that in the future products will be properly marked with standardized recycling information, so we consumers won’t have to question the recyclability of each and every item!
Need Information
Dear Need Information,
Yes, there is hope that future products will be clearly marked for recycling. However, even with clear recycling symbols and information, everyone will still need to check with their local recycling center as to what it recycles, since recycling capabilities differ greatly across our nation. How2Recycle is part of GreenBlue, an independent 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit whose mission is “to get more materials in the recycling bins by taking the guesswork out of recycling.” Their goal is to “reduce confusion by creating a clear, well-understood and nationally harmonized label that enables companies to convey to consumers how to recycle their packages.” For readers interested in improving the labeling of recyclables, go to their website, http://how2recycle.info/survey, and participate in their questionnaire. They request help in making the How2Recycle label “the best it can be.”
Dear Recycle Lady,
There have been several discussions at my house about recycling waxed milk cartons. Please give us a clear and definitive answer.
Ardent Recycler
Dear Ardent Recycler,
Happy to help. At first glance, it seems like milk cartons should go in the cardboard recycling bin. However, these gable-top milk cartons aren’t your normal cardboard boxes! Think about what would happen if you poured milk in a cereal box – you soon would be covered with milk! Thus, liquids require special packaging. According to the Carton Council, a trade association for the carton industry, milk cartons are made of paperboard covered with a thin layer of polyethylene plastic (PET or #1 plastic) on both sides of the box. Larger cities have facilities for recycling these cartons, but unfortunately, our local Recycling Center does not. Research by the Council indicates that “more than 60% of households across the country have access to this carton recycling,” and they are working to promote and increase carton recycling nationwide. Readers who want to help them achieve this goal can sign the Council’s petition at www.recyclecartons.com/petition. You can also mail your milk cartons to their network of recyclers, and they will recycle them for you. See the same website for this information.
Good News: Scientists have discovered fungi with the ability to break down certain types of plastic. Pestalotiopsis microspora, originally found in Ecuador, can decompose polyurethane, even in anaerobic conditions. Aspergillus tubingensis, discovered in Pakistan, can break down polyester. Amazing! (fto.com)
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
