Cartons are a type of packaging for food and beverage products you can purchase at the store. They are easy to recognize and are available in two types—shelf-stable and refrigerated.

Cartons are mainly made from paper in the form of paperboard, as well as thin layers of polyethylene (plastic) and/or aluminum. Shelf-stable cartons contain on average 74% paper, 22% polyethylene and 4% aluminum. Refrigerated cartons contain about 80% paper and 20% polyethylene.

Yes! Cartons are recyclable. In fact, the paper fiber contained in cartons is extremely valuable and useful to make new products.

To learn if your community accepts cartons for recycling, please visit RecycleCartons.com or check with your local recycling program.

Simply place the cartons in your recycle bin. If your recycling program collects materials as “singlestream,” you may place your cartons in your bin with all the other recyclables. If your recycling program collects materials as “dual-stream” (paper items together and plastic, metal and glass together), please place cartons with your plastic, metal and glass containers.

Good question. The answer is no. Once cartons arrive at your local recycling facility, they will be sorted separately from the rest of the materials. To make this work at the facility, it is easier to modify how containers are sorted than paper. In the end, as long as all cartons are sorted and baled together, the material will then be recycled.