If you buy meat at a grocery store, it is likely to be packed on a plastic foam tray, placed on a plastic mat, and wrapped in a plastic bag. Meat packaging generates a lot of plastic waste. Can it be recycled? Not all, but this is what you can do.

We know how you feel. When you are trying to make environmentally conscious choices, walking through the grocery store can be overwhelming. Plastic packaging items and boxes containing plastic packaging snacks abound one after another. When choosing the best products for your family and environment, it is difficult to avoid using too much plastic and non-recyclable packaging.

There are some simple ways to reduce waste when shopping, such as carrying reusable shopping bags. However, it may be difficult to know what to do with the packaging of certain products that you may often buy, such as chicken or steak trays wrapped in clear plastic. Let’s take a look at the items that are commonly used to pack meat in the U.S.

In most grocery stores, meat packaging consists of three parts: a tray-usually made of expanded polystyrene, you may know its brand name "polystyrene foam", an absorbent pad and transparent plastic packaging ——Each one needs different treatment.

You are unlikely to put expanded polystyrene (EPS) in roadside bins because although this material is recyclable, it is not widely recycled. However, there are other options for recycling this material. You can use Earth911 Recycling Search to check drop-off locations near you that can accept EPS. Note that it is listed as "#6 Plastic – Expanded" in the recycling search, as shown below:

Unfortunately, many facilities will not accept food containers for recycling due to food contamination, so it is important to check with the facility before you bring the meat tray there. If you do find a place where they are acceptable, remember that raw meat can carry many bacteria, so you must thoroughly clean and dry the tray before putting them down.

If you want to know why there is a large piece of inedible material under the packaged meat, then you are not alone. Absorbent pads play an important role. It not only prevents the growth of liquid bacteria, but also keeps your meat fresh for longer.

Absorbent pads are usually made of silicone or cellulose coated with plastic. Currently, the U.S. does not accept recycling or composting, so you need to discard it in the trash can.

Unfortunately, a large amount of plastic film wrapped the whole meat bun. In most places, you cannot put plastic bags or films in curbside recycling bins. These thin plastics clog the sorters in the recycling facility. Recycling workers must shut down the sorter to remove the plastic film, interrupting operations and endangering workers.

Since this film has been in contact with raw meat, it is unlikely to be accepted for recycling. To avoid contaminating other recyclable items, please throw plastic wrappers with meat into the trash can.

However, if you are willing to take them to a collection site for recycling, many types of plastic bags and films can be recycled. Many grocery stores and large retailers accept plastic bags, wrapping paper and film for recycling. Look for trash cans in front of the store, or use Earth911 recycling search or PlasticFilmRecycling to find a location near you.

Many companies are working hard to develop more environmentally friendly materials. The grocery store is a good place to start looking for more of these options. Bringing reusable bags from home, choosing plastic-free products, and buying items in bulk using reusable containers are all good choices.

The completely waste-free and most sustainable option is a resealable glass container that can be placed in the dishwasher after each use. However, meat is not something that a grocery store can hold. Usually, traditional butchers or meat counters in grocery stores will wrap your meat in paper instead of plastic, but we encourage you to let them use your glass containers. If they refuse, tell them you will find a butcher and he will work with you to reduce waste.

Sometimes it takes some extra effort to change our shopping habits or discard items for recycling, but our small changes can have a huge impact on the well-being of our planet.

Samantha Bazely, creative director of Bazely Creative, is passionate about helping people. Creating articles to provide readers with actionable tips, not a mess, is part of the reason why she founded Bazely Creative. She specializes in helping small businesses produce content that produces results.

We earnestly help our readers, consumers and businesses to reduce their waste footprint every day, provide high-quality information and discover new and more sustainable methods.

Earth911 is a general resource that can help you find your own shade of green.

We educate and inform consumers, businesses and communities to stimulate ideas and promote consumer decisions that are good for the planet.

Small changes in thousands of people will have a lasting positive impact. More ideas to reduce waste!

© Copyright 2021 Earth Media Partners. all rights reserved.