Plastic Easter Eggs Not Recyclable: Best Action Plan and Alternatives

There are recommended alternatives for this holiday tradition since plastic easter eggs are not recyclable.

The yearly Easter egg hunt is undoubtedly a joyful holiday custom, but ultimately, a lot of plastic waste is thrown away. The likelihood that the colorful plastic egg casings will be thrown away is higher than keeping hundreds of colorful plastic easter eggs in the attic until next spring. Here are some ways to dispose of plastic easter eggs in the most sustainable manner possible.

Plastic Easter Eggs: Not Recyclable

The recycling laws in each town and city vary, and it is unquestionably not possible to recycle plastic Easter eggs everywhere. The Sacramento region does not allow for their recycling, according to Lincoln California Recycling and Garbage. They are, however, reportedly put in the 3-7 bin at the Jackson Recycling Center, according to KFVS 12 in Jackson, Mississippi. After that, the material is transported abroad for reuse.

If plastic easter eggs cannot be recycled according to local ordinances, Lizzy Rosenberg, a managing editor for Green Matters, advises throwing them in the trash.

Plastic Easter Eggs: Not Sustainable

Plastic Easter eggs are produced in factories in China and then shipped to the US, which, as noted by Summit Daily, leaves a significant carbon footprint. This process is not sustainable, to put it mildly. The majority of eggs contain lead paint and BPA, two chemicals that are harmful to the environment and our water supplies. Additionally, they are not commonly recyclable.

Donating is the best option for people who have already purchased Easter eggs but do not want to throw them away.

Donating plastic Easter eggs to nearby consignment shops will allow someone else to use them. Some people choose to repurpose the colored plastic casings by making string lights, ornaments, planters, and maracas out of them. They can be upcycled in so many different ways. Still, the simplest option is to save the plastic Easter eggs for the following year.

Also Read: New Recyclable Plastic Made of Super Glue Raw Material Could Be the Answer, Researchers Say

Plastic Easter Eggs Alternative: Real Eggs Painted with Food Dye

Egg painting with food dye is a well-known Easter custom, in addition to the traditional egg hunt. The egg shells should be disposed of in the compost bin if you want to properly dispose of real eggs that have been colored with food. Even if they are dyed with food, egg shells are completely compostable.

Regardless of location, composting is essentially the same everywhere, Green Matters reports.

For the holiday custom, the website Shrink That Footprint lists alternatives that are compostable for traditional Easter egg hunting. This includes paper eggs, plant-based plastic eggs, cardboard eggs, natural fiber eggs, recycled paper eggs, natural-dye Easter eggs, and edible egg shells. Shrink That Footprint also reminded people that wooden Easter eggs are not a sustainable replacement for plastic eggs.

Deforestation may result if wooden Easter eggs are made from unframed tree sources. This is a typical issue with wooden goods, which is why Easter eggs made of wood are not regarded as an environmentally friendly option.