Jennifer Holan

Who buys products in aseptic containers, anyway?

Johanna Gardner's Viewpoint seems to encourage all of us consumers to decrease demand for plastic products, in the interest of keeping the Earth from drowning in them.

Many of us are diligent about reducing our purchases of nondegradables, and I for one am curious about who buys the tons of Tetra Pak–type aseptic cartons that appear on grocery shelves.

I'd like to do a survey: Do you buy these soups, milks, and juices? What on earth do you do with the cartons when they're empty?

I have not received an answer from the Brattleboro Food Co-op or the Windham Solid Waste Management District which could justify the purchase, by a consumer or a retailer, of anything packaged this way. These cartons usually are printed with an assurance that they are “recyclable where facilities exist,” apparently salving the manufacturers' consciences regarding the waste problem with the concept of saving electricity by not requiring refrigeration.

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