The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) plans to update the labels used to differentiate recyclable material in consumer packaging. Recently, I have noticed more and more “green-washing” done by companies who advertise that their product is “recyclable”. Though this statement may be true, often this message confuses the consumer, whom at a glance may think it is made from recycled material. Also, even if a company claims that their product is recyclable, that does not always mean that recycling for that specific material is available in your area. To clear up all the confusion, so we all can see this issue clearly, the SPC has decided to update the labeling system for various recyclable materials into four categories.
These categories include:
*For more information about Styrofoam recycling, please read our article about Dart Container and their Styrofoam recycling initiative by clicking here. |
What does all this mean for you, the consumer? It means simply that the materials you receive all of your favorite products in, and the products themselves will be easier to identify if it is actually recyclable and how to recycle it. Of course, in different areas there are different recycling options available, but now consumers will know more clearly if their product or packaging is recyclable and what steps to take to get it to the right facility to take care of it. It may be as easy as curbside for some of you, or it could be a trip back to the place of purchase. Either way it will be easier to identify recyclable materials.
A limited number of SPC members will be participating in a test run of the project this fall that will run through 2011. SPC hopes that this new labeling system will eventually become universal.
Susan Freinkel, a blogger for Fast Company, wrote about an initiative that is underway to update the numbering systems on plastic containers. Hopefully we will see this system become implemented in the next 2-3 years. This new numbering system should take into account the greater variety of plastics now available in the market. Right now the market is flooded with a broad range of bio-plastics. Only some of these bio-plastics actually are biodegradable. As of now these bio-plastics are mixed into the #7 category along with other non-recyclables.
The recycling world is constantly changing as new materials are introduced into the market. The ability for recyclers to manage the materials they receive is essential to them being successful. The state of the recycling world right now (in particular plastics) is a mess. Bio-plastics along with other materials mislabeled as recyclable, when in actuality they are not recyclable or recycling for such materials is not easily accessible. Overall, the changes the SPC has proposed to help determine how readily available recycling is for specific materials and updating the plastics numbering system for recycling to include bio-plastics, could greatly benefit the recycling world.
Original article: Coalition to Introduce Reality-Based Recycling Labels
From: SustainableBusiness.com
