How to Reuse Plastic Containers

Making something useful out of something useless is helpful when trying to conserve. Reusing everyday items is one of the three keys to conservation suggested by the U.S. EPA. Over 85 percent of our garbage is sent to a landfill or dump. You can contribute to the effort by reusing when you can. Be creative with your ideas, and you can come up with many ways to use all them.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Keep those berry baskets you get at the grocery store. Use 2 held together with a rubber band as a basket in the dishwasher to hold baby nipples, cup stoppers or other small items during washing. Add moss to a basket for a small potted plant holder.

2. Reuse any empty food dish such as butter or yogurt dishes for a fun project for your kids. They can creatively construct an entire city out of these by stacking them. Have them decorate with stickers or markers to make them colorful.

3. Freeze meals such as spaghetti in small yogurt cups for individual servings for you or for your kids. Just pour them in a microwave safe bowl and reheat when needed.

4. Organize your garage with smaller dishes. You are able to separate the various sizes of nails and screws.

5. Ask your local schools or daycares. They may have an art project in which they would need plastic containers.

Tips & Warnings

• After you have used several times make sure you recycle if possible.
• You should only use specific types of plastics again that are recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for food storage. Some may contain chemicals that can leach under certain conditions. See the FDA site for specifics on which types can safely be reused.
• Never microwave food in a plastic container.

Resources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Safety and Applied Nutrition