Cardboard Egg Cartons

• Only egg cartons made from cardboard can be recycled with mixed paper materials. It is important to check with your community recycling center on its policy regarding egg cartons. Some centers may not accept cardboard egg cartons on the basis that the carton may be contaminated. You should not recycle egg cartons that contained broken eggs because of the risk of salmonella. You will often notice that cardboard egg cartons are made out of recycled paper materials.
  
  

Polystyrene Egg Cartons

• Recycling egg cartons made from polystyrene can be trickier than recycling egg cartons made from paper. Ask your recycling center if they take products made from polystyrene. When a polystyrene egg carton is recycled, it is often made into another product that is not often recycled. A recycled egg carton could be made into a cafeteria tray, a tape body, a desk accessory or a horticultural plant tray.
  
  

Reuse Egg Cartons

• If you live in an area where you do not have access to a recycling facility or if your recycling facility does not take egg cartons, you can still keep your egg cartons from going into a landfill. You can reuse egg cartons in several ways. If you are a beader, you can use the egg compartments of an egg carton to separate your beads. If you like to craft, you can use egg cartons to make caterpillars with your kids. Look around your home; you may have an unconventional use for your egg cartons.
  
  

Donate Egg Cartons

• More and more people are keeping chickens in their backyards for fresh eggs. Ask around your community and you may find people who are on the lookout for egg cartons. You can take your egg cartons to a local feed store and ask if they will take your egg cartons to give to their customers. If you buy fresh eggs from a local farmer, reuse your egg cartons every time you get eggs.