#how2recycle

How2Recycle: Not Just a Phrase, a Labeling System

If you read recycling news such as the website Recycling Today, you get to keep your finger on the pulse of scrap metal recycling. Reuse of nonferrous metals especially is a prime focus for many businesses that utilize scrap metal. In recent years there has been a move to consolidate recycling practices and for all the disparate companies that utilize recyclable materials to let their consumers…

Happy Earth Day! Get this, plastic film (you know the kind that beautifully puckers when stretched) is recyclable when brought back to the store!!! The iconic How2Recycle labels tells you all you need to know.

PACKAGING. Target shifts from Polystyrene to Sustainable-Origin Paper, Adding How2Recycle labels

Target opts for sustainable packaging to reflect customer’s expectations, business priorities, and industry challenges.

For its own products, Target plans to ban – by 2022 – the use of polystyrene. too difficult to recycle and responsible for plastic contamination in planet’s oceans.

Moreover, the American Target intends to source all owned brand paper-based packaging from sustainably managed…

“Can I have a Pop Tart?”

This is one of the many questions I received while representing the SPC and my company, HAVI Global Solutions, at Antioch High School’s Earth Day fair in northern Illinois. I prepared for the fair by purchasing high school-friendly products that use the SPC’s How2Recycle Label. (The Pop Tarts, McDonald’s, and Keebler Fudge Sticks were a hit, particularly since the fair was at lunch time). The packages in the photo below are just a sampling of the items that now contain the label.

I have been working with the SPC on the How2Recycle Label for a few years now, so I consider myself to be pretty educated on the program and on recycling generally. However, I was struck by how much I learned as I looked at the various labels. For instance, without the How2Recycle Label present, I wouldn’t have known to keep the cap on the glass Honest Tea bottle or to keep the sprayer on the Seventh Generation cleaning spray.

The high school students ambled by and many looked at us skeptically as we asked them what they would do with a cereal box when they were done with it. Thankfully, this question was too easy for most of them as they knew to recycle the box. Then we asked about the plastic bag that held the cereal inside the box. This time, they were caught off guard and looked uncertain. Two out of the 200+ students and teachers that came by our booth got the right answer. Once we showed them the How2Recycle label on the cereal boxes, they were able to see that they could bring the cereal bag back to a store to place in the plastic bag recycling bins. The American Chemistry Council graciously provided magnets and notepads that we gave to students to bring home and educate their families about film recycling.

We were happy to teach the students something new and we left with some insights of our own. Some thoughts:

People think they know a lot about recycling — and many of them do. The students were more educated about recycling than many of the older people we have talked to, which is great news. However, they don’t know everything. This is where the How2Recycle Label can be helpful. When people think they already know about recycling, they don’t necessarily want to learn more and may not check the package for additional information. The more easily the consumer can see the label, the easier it will be for them to recycle properly, even if they don’t actively look for recycling instructions. Special shout out to Seventh Generation for doing a great job on large, high-visibility labels and not being afraid to use the ‘Not Yet Recycled’ label. When high school students have to squint to read the How2Recycle Label, it’s probably too small. I think it’s great that it is on there at all, but if 16 year olds can barely read it, it’s probably not big enough for my 94-year-old grandmother. Incentives help a lot. Thanks to McDonald’s, the ACC, and Seventh Generation, we were able to give out some freebies to students who took the survey. Although we may not be able to give a S’mores Pop Tart to everyone each time they recycle, it is a reality that people are more likely to do something if they get something from it. We know that “Pay as you throw” policies aren’t a panacea, but they do provide economic incentive to recycle and thus increase recovery rates. Check out AMERIPEN’s 2013 White Paper for more information on this. On a non-recycling note, this experience reminded me the importance of thinking big, even if an opportunity may be a long shot. Brenda Herman is a student at Antioch High School who reached out to the SPC without having any contacts there, asking if they would come to her high school’s Earth Day fair. The SPC is based in Virginia, so a staff member was unable to attend, but we were still able to have a presence at the high school since I am a local Executive Committee member. Thanks to Brenda for reminding us to take risks and ask questions!

Thanks also to HAVI Global Solutions for the priority placed on employees getting into communities and helping people. We have a popular annual tradition called the Week of Giving, which encourages employees to take time out of their work day in order to give back to our community. Through this program, we were able to participate in the Earth Day fair. These kind of activities help strengthen social capital, fostering the often-ignored social pillar of sustainability.

So, Readers: go connect with your community and share your sustainability expertise! Take a step away from our bubble filled with acronyms and technical jargon. You have plenty to teach and you’ll learn a lot as well.

Recycling is easy, right? There are blue bins next to your trash can you can just dump mixed paper, plastics and metals in. There are bins on the street and in restaurants where you can place your paper and plastic or glass bottles. There is even another waste can under my desk for recycling printer paper. 

Yes, that is a start, but according to earth911's recycle guide there are almost 60 items that can be recycled that should not necessarily go in a curb-side bin. You can easily get a list of what you can put in your curb-side container by entering your zip code in the directory on the left side of their page. Here is a list of things you may want to look out for in your own municipalities. 

Drink boxes/ milk or juice cartons - I assumed because of the wax coating that these boxes could not be recycled, but as processes advance so do the amount of items taken grows, which is great. Check with your recycler to make sure they can take these items.

#5 plastic - yogurt, butter, cottage cheese and dip containers are made with this pliable plastic but not all recyclers take them. Check your local recycler and the numbers on the bottom of the plastic containers. If your area recycler does not take #5 you can drop them off at a local participating retailer that partners with Stonyfield Organic Yogurt and the Preserve plastic movement to turn these containers into other plastic items, like a tooth brush. 

Plastic Bags - Though plastic chemical companies say that the bags can be recycled, many are not. Some grocery stores will take the bags in drop-off containers located by their doors. Check the Plastic Film Recycling website for registered drop-off locations to ensure these awful bags go somewhere good. 

Recycling needs to be done and many companies see the need as well as the lack in recycling participation, therefore the How2Recycle program was released earlier this year with the partnership and participation of concerned consumer goods companies. This is an awesome initiative (yet kind-of sad it had to happen) to help ease people through the fact that recycling takes some effort. 

July 12th, 2013

Resin Identification Codes (RICs), also known as the “plastic numbers” or “recycling numbers” are getting a makeover.

Contrary to popular belief, a RIC does not equal “recyclable”. RICs are plastic identification codes developed in 1988 by SPI. The goal of RICs were to assist recyclers in identifying their materials. They were never intended as a consumer communication tool. However, they quickly adapted to the ubiquitous “recycling numbers”. Consumer testing continues to show that RICs confuse consumers and they do not understand their meaning.

RICs became an ASTM International standard in 2008. ASTM uses industry consensus via subcommittees to develop standards.

To decouple resin identification from recycling labeling, ASTM International Subcommittee D20.95 on Recycled Plastics approved a switch from chasing arrows to a triangle.

But not so fast.

RICs are required by law in 39 states. Herein lies a speedbump. Each state writes statute in their own way with their own requirements. Many specifically require numbers with chasing arrows and specific letters.

While the international standard changed, state laws did not. It may take some time before consumers see the change. In the meanwhile, companies must navigate between fulfilling the different state statutes or following the new ASTM standard.