The Recycling Partnership is launching a dynamic labeling program supported by a database that provides information on the recycling capacity of most U.S. municipalities. Through the Recycle Check platform, consumers can scan a QR code on packaging to find out if it is recyclable in their area.
Packaging World: What does the current landscape of recyclability claims on packaging look like, and what does The Recycling Partnership believe needs to be addressed?
Kendal Glauber: The fragmented recycling system in the United States creates a lot of variability in what is collected and recycled locally. When there are so many local nuances, it becomes really challenging to communicate recyclability, especially on a national scale. This affects people's ability to make decisions. We conducted a consumer study on people's beliefs and perceptions regarding recyclability information on labels, and 71% of consumers stated that they would like a simpler way to obtain information on what can and cannot be recycled in their community.
We know that consumers want to recycle and they look for recycling instructions, primarily on product labels. But at the same time, the regulatory environment around recyclability claims and what can actually be on the label is evolving. There is new policy in California and extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws at the state level, as well as potential updates coming to the national Green Guide guidelines, while there are ongoing infrastructure changes in recycling systems across the country. But large companies [CPGs, food and beverage] don't sell or produce products on a local or state-by-state basis. They create packages for a regional or national market. A national solution is needed.
What is Recycle Check, and how does it address the problem you described?
Recycle Check is a platform by The Recycling Partnership that provides an interactive, packaging-specific solution by immediately providing up-to-date local recycling information to people across the United States. Imagine that decisive moment when you stand with an empty package in front of your bin. You think, "What do I do with this? Where does it go? Trash or recycling?"
[Underlying this platform is] the national recycling database built by The Recycling Partnership. It is an incredibly powerful tool and a cutting-edge resource that centralizes access to recycling information from communities across the United States; approximately 9,000 communities covering 97% of the population. This community-level information is regularly updated.
The concept is that anyone can scan a QR code on a package in their hands or click a link if they are shopping online and enter their ZIP code or location on our webpage to get an immediate yes/no answer on whether that item is accepted for recycling, wherever they are.
Why is consumer confusion such an important issue to address?
The vast majority of Americans believe in the positive impact of recycling, but about two-thirds of recyclable household waste is wasted each year. And about half of that, which amounts to about 15 million tons of materials, not a small amount, ends up in landfills due to confusion about what and how to recycle. There is a risk that confused consumers may not participate at all or may not recycle everything they can.
On the contamination side, it certainly impacts the quality or capacity of recycling systems to properly process a bale and sell quality materials that can then be turned into recycled content for future use. So, it's also a concern here.
This confusion is understandable because what is accepted for recycling changes over time and varies from place to place. We have the opportunity to build trust and provide relevant and easily accessible information to consumers to enable them to make effective recycling decisions, so recyclable products in our homes actually end up where they should go.
Through our research, we found that 78% of people think a QR code containing local information would help make recycling less confusing.
