The tri-fold plastic egg carton is made from recycled materials and is accepted by most recycling programs as a PETE #1 plastic. Although it may at first appear that the inner lid is excessive, it performs many functions. It works to keep the label from getting damaged from moisture condensation on the eggs (the cardboard or pulp cartons tend to retain moisture and promote the growth of bacteria) or in the event of any breakage/leakage. By keeping each egg well enclosed, it reduces the rate of drying and product deterioration. It also adds a layer of stabilization to the carton.
Our carton manufacturers were chosen in part because of their recycling and sustainability efforts. One of these manufacturers, Highland Packaging Solutions (https://highcor.com/sustainability/), provides the following information regarding the plastic recyclability.
Our newly developed extrusion technology uses 25% less energy per pound of output compared to “traditional” extrusion technology.
We currently run a minimum of 70% recycled content on our extruded products. For every pound of recycled PET flake used, energy use is reduced by 84% and greenhouse gas emissions by 71% as compared to virgin material.
We recycle 90% of our plastic manufacturing process scrap directly into our products and recycle aluminum, corrugated, scrap metals and remaining plastic scrap through suppliers and recycling services.”