Almost every morning on my way to work, I stop by my local grocery store to pick up breakfast and lunch. They use compostable containers for items from their hot bar, which is where I usually grab scrambled eggs and salad (in separate containers) to-go. When I’m done with those containers and their contents, it’s easy for me to toss them in the compost bin at work.
Recently, my cashier started using rubber bands to seal my compostable containers to make sure the contents didn’t spill out en route. I appreciated the sentiment, but I also wondered: How can I properly discard these rubber bands?
While rubber can be recycled, it's a bit more complicated than tossing it into your average recycling bin. There’s actually a specific, separate process for rubber recycling.
Are rubber bands compostable? Technically, yes! Rubber comes from the sap of a rubber tree, and the rule with composting is: If it once was alive, it can be composted. However, rubber takes a long time to break down or biodegrade, so it’s best to reuse rubber bands rather than toss them in the compost bin.
If you’re like me, you have a drawer of rubber bands just waiting to be used. Here are some ideas to kick-start your creativity and put those old rubber bands to good use outside the landfill:
Rubber bands have so many creative uses. Make sure you recycle them instead of throwing them away!
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