Are Candy Wrappers Recyclable?

At a time like this when many people are getting more informed about the eco-friendly way of living, it is important to be on the good sides of the environment at all times. That implies doing the right things and at the relevant timeframes so that our environment wouldn’t be more threatened than it has been. Plastics come into view in this instance because people are now wondering about the type of plastics that can be recycled and the others that cannot.

Now, it has become imperative to make inquiries about are candy wrappers recyclable? They are plastics as well. Therefore, understanding the viability and the processes of recycling the wrappers would go a long way to help people find out the best practices to dispose of candy wrappers. That said, we’ll now look at all you need to know about if candy wrappers can be recycled just like many other plastics out there.

Can Candy Wrappers Be Recycled?

So, can the wrappers of those sweet treats (candies) be recycled after you must have gotten your fill of the exhilarating tastes of the candies? The answer is, unfortunately, an emphatic NO! Candy wrappers cannot be recycled, at least, in the same way as conventional plastics.

If that is the case, then what makes candy wrappers different from other types of plastics? Why can they not be recycled like the others are? Find below, some of the clues to why candy wrappers cannot be recycled.

• Material Mixture

The general rule stipulates that the non-recyclability of candy wrappers or the inability to recycle candy wrappers is because of the mixture of materials. It might interest you to know that the packaging for your favorite sweet treats is a bit complicated. The rule of thumb is that the higher the materials used, the more tedious the recycling process.

It is imperative to make a comparison here to understand this well. On the one hand, conventional plastics, such as plastic bottles and glass jars are made from a maximum of two materials. For instance, glass jars are made from one material, which makes the task of recycling them easier. Likewise, plastic bottles (including bottles for soft drinks and water) are made from about two materials. Hence, it is easier to break them down and recycle or convert them to other uses.

On the other hand, candy wrappers cannot be recycled because they are made from many materials. The multiple mixes of materials make it harder to recycle the wrappers. More so, the process is more cumbersome because it takes more time to find viable ways of reusing the materials. It can be equated to unmaking a salad and looking for other ways to remake it. In the same regard, the general submission is that the mixes of materials used in making candy wrappers generally make the process of recycling and recovery hard.

• Recycling Candy Wrappers Is Expensive

If the recycling companies find a way to beat around the non-recyclability of candy wrappers, they should also be prepared to spend more than they would have. That is because candy wrappers recycling is expensive. Ideally, the wrappers would be sorted individually and the materials separated in the same instance. Afterward, it would be time to process them using high-precision methods that are costlier.

• Size

If you have observed, conventional plastics have bigger sizes. That makes it less tedious to break them down and re-use them in some other cases.

On the contrary, the same cannot be said of candy wrappers. You must have noticed that the wrappers of those sweet treats are smaller when compared to conventional plastics. It is on that note that candy wrappers are deemed non-recyclable. It will take a while to gather the different (small) wrappers into bulk or heap before proceeding to the next stage of the processing.

• Weight

Just like the size of the candy wrappers influence the possibility of recycling, that is the same way the weight contributes to the same end. Ideally, the wrappers of candies are lightweight. Hence, it can be an arduous task to weigh and reproduce them as opposed to the higher weight in other plastics.

What Is the Way Forward?

You love sweets. You also love the planet. There may be no way you can give up your sweet treats without having to feel bad about it. In the same way, if you are to continue enjoying those candies, then you must find a way to ensure they do not compromise our planet the more. That is why you need to strike a balance when buying more candies.

Understandably, you may not be able to single-handedly reduce the wastes attributed to candy wrappers. That notwithstanding, you needn’t despair. There are some adjustments (as pointed out below), which you can leverage to make a difference in your help in reducing the world’s wrapper waste.

• Engage in Bulk Buying

Since you are looking at cutting down on the numbers of candy wrappers in your home, it is advisable that you engage in bulk buying. Buying candies in bulk helps in bringing forth more products and less packaging. That way, you can have more of your favorite sweet treats and less of the wrappers.

• Make Use of Recycling Services

Since candy wrappers cannot be recycled, it would be an excellent idea to make use of niche recycling services. The duty of such services is to collect different non-recyclable materials (including candy wrappers) is to recycle those materials that have hitherto been tagged non-recyclable.

TerraCycle is one of such niche recycling service. The function of the company is to provide the users/subscribers with zero-waste boxes. It is in these boxes that the users would pack in their non-recyclable materials, such as candy wrappers. The boxes will then be sent to the company for recycling.

Candy Wrappers May Be Recyclable

Although candy wrappers prove to be difficult in recycling because of many reasons, you may still want to try other avenues. Buying candies in bulk and sending the wrappers to recycling services can be the perfect solution to recycling those wrappers that contained your sweet treats.