Environmental cost of using glass milk bottles?

Hi

I am considering getting my milk delivered, to support my local dairy and so that I can get it in reusable glass bottles.

However, I am not convinced whether glass is indeed better than plastic, and am hoping that you guys can put me straight.

If I buy 2 litre plastic bottles they can get recyled (albeit in another country probably).

If I get the one pint glass bottles that will be almost 7 glass bottles for every 2 x 2 litre plastic ones that need to be washed and sterilised each time.

Presumably the wash & sterilisation process uses a fair amount of energy and possibly (probably?) chemicals.

So how does all this stack up?

Should I pay the massive premium to have a milkman deliver glass bottles vice still have the milkman but have him deliver 2 litre plastic bottles? Relative costs are 59p per pint glass, £1.15 per 2 litres plastic.

What do you reckon?

Cheers

Northern_Lad

I would say that it's far better to re-use glass bottles.

Even the cost of heating and powering the cleaning plant will be small compared to that needed to re-form the plastic. Plus, plastic is not infinately re-usable so at some point will be dumped; glass has a much longer life, as it will be re-used at first, and should anything happen to it then it can be recycled.

marigold

It may be purely psychological, but I think milk tastes better out of a glass bottle Very Happy

lettucewoman

marigold wrote:

It may be purely psychological, but I think milk tastes better out of a glass bottle Very Happy

I don't think it is - I opened a plastic milk bottle the other day and was struck by the horrible smell of plastic - on tasting it i could definitely taste a plastiky taste. I have often thought this about many things bought in plastic containers - some plastics do seem to flavour the contents.

I have also noticed it now they have replaced our water pipes with plastic ones....... Sad

Cho-ku-ri

I also think those who think their plastic that goes to China all gets recycled and not just burned on open bonfires are naive. Surprised

"Lian Jiao's mission to save the world's garbage is creating its own environmental nightmare. Not only is there atmospheric pollution, but the rivers are choked with garbage.

Spend just a couple of minutes at the factory and you'll find breathing becomes difficult. The air smells of dust and burning plastic, and when it's breathed in, people complain that their lungs sting. "
I'd stick to glass if I had the option.

LynneA

I finally managed to switch to milk delivery last week.

You also need to factor in transport costs - yours to and from the shops and that of the stock being delivered. How many times have you just popped out for milk and ended up getting much more?

There is also something very reassuring about milk bottles outside your door.

Rob R

Every tried cleaning plastic milk bottles? It takes a lot more effort than glass. I'd go for glass, as reused glass bottles can be simply used for milk again, the plastic won't be reused as food-grade I shouldn't think. Milk is toxic stuff when it starts degrading.

lassemista

My alternative - the goats are due to come next weekend Very Happy

Andrea.

gnome

there is a third alternative. surprisingly, the "wax paper " style cartons you can get milk in are also pretty easy to recycle, and there are a few places doing this now. plastic bottle recycling is a little controversial - some small recyclers shred the plastic, then heat it just enough to make it soft, then compress it. that is the ideal way to do it; but big scale recycling plants heat the plastic beyond it's flash point to liquify it. this shortens the long chain molecule, so it is a degraded plastic and not as good. each time it is melted this way, it degrades more, and soon becomes totally useless. i would like to see some proper research into the environmental cost of collecting, washing, and delivering milk bottles. as milk floats are battery operated, i suspect it may be quite low - but how do they dispose of the old batteries? how much electricity is used to charge them? i dont think we should just assume it is more environmentally friendly without looking into it properly.

2steps

now i think about it I haven't seen a milk cartoon in ages!

I have also had milk with an odd plasticy type taste and some once that tasted like detergent! (well, how I imagine detergent tastes based on the smell) Milk always seems to get colder in glass bottles. I don't really drink it but if I do it has to be ice cold. years ago I used to drink loads of milk and it was best on a cold day straight from the doorstep Smile

Jonnyboy

Milk bottles have an average life of 8-10 trips IIRC. That's a carrying capacity of 5.6 litres per bottle during their lifespan.

Of course, glass can also be recycled.

mark

i think milk in glass is nicer

but I think recycling glass uses so much more energy (if you take into account weight, amount of material, collection and delivery, heating and reprocessing) - and has bigger overall environmental impact (burns more oil ,coal than used in the plastics)

my guess is that in terms of environmetal freiendlines the best is
1)waxed paper cartons
2)folowed by plastic
3)folowed by glass.

i think the same applies for soups, sauces and all that stuff you but in supermarkets

i still prefer glass bottles though - but since i checked it out feel a bit more guilty about my preference.

What would be bestof al would be if we could reuse rather than recycle (take our glass bottle jug and get it filled!)

winemakers andf jam and pickle makers (of whom i am one) manage to achieve something of this sort of re-use

Mark

tinyclanger

Hi,
glass milk bottles bottles are reused, cartons and plastic bottles are used once. glass bottles are 100% recyclable, in the UK, as are plastic milk bottles. Cartons are recycled at a plant in Sweden andd are only 77% recyclable.
My advise - go for reusable glass.
Tiny Very Happy

tahir

Thanks Tiny, where've you been? About time you did an article on this sort of stuff methinks....

tinyclanger

Hi,
been busy sorting out a new job.
very exciting, I started last monday and lots to get to grips with.
Tiny Very Happy

tahir

Excellent news, if you ever get the time it'd be great to have an article on some of this recycle/reuse stuff.

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