How to Ensure Your Recycled Packaging Actually Gets Recycled
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Your recycled packaging may actually end up in a landfill. Here are tips to ensure your trash goes to the right place.
November 24th, 2020 blog sustainability ecommerce
There have been a number of discouraging headlines over the past few years about recycling. In 2019, China stopped accepting our recycling waste, causing a drastic increase in the amount of waste in landfills. There’s also growing doubt about the paper and plastic thrown into your curbside recycling bins, raising questions on whether or not it will ultimately be processed for reuse.
The good news is, it’s not challenging to ensure your recycled packaging makes it back into the circular economy. Here are four easy steps to take:
brands, are commonly accepted items in curbside recycling programs. Other brands and products such as Sharp mailers, Astro-Bubble, and Airspeed inflatable cushions can be recycled through store drop off programs. Poly bubble mailers and poly non-cushioned mailers can be recycled in store drop offs as well, as long as paper labels are removed.
Pregis’ Renew branded portfolio of products is also designed for the circular economy, providing additional sustainable benefits such as higher amounts of recycled content while maintaining performance, recyclability, and using less raw material.
What’s more, in 2019, to help consumers understand best recycling practices for different materials, Pregis joined the How2Recycling initiative, printing simplified recycling information straight on products, so consumers know exactly how to handle them after use.
Check With Your Local Government
Right now, there are over 9,000 curbside recycling programs in cities and towns across the U.S. Each of them has its own rules and procedures regarding what materials are accepted in their bins. Local governments typically publish their recycling policies online, detailing what kind of materials are accepted and what condition they must be in. A quick Google search of your town or city and the keyword “recycling” will likely lead you to the right page. You might also try using this resource by our partners at How2Recycle to find the information you need.Know If Recyclables Can Be Picked Up Curbside
Most curbside, city-run recycling programs will accept paper, corrugated cardboard (including boxes), hard plastics, and aluminum. Some will also accept glass depending on their facility. Case in point: Just because your local government is unable to process something through their blue bin program doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled. In many cases, the same government website that provides details about your local recycling program will also tell you where you can recycle items they don’t accept. If you’re having trouble finding the information online, call the phone number listed on the website. As you’ve noticed by now in this phase of research, there are many types of plastic resins, some of which can be recycled curbside, and some which require drop-offs at special facilities. Fortunately, all plastic containers have a label dictating what kind of plastic it is, and this resource from the EPA provides more information about how to handle each of them. Pregis paper products, such as Easypack and QuantumProperly Clean Waste Before Putting It in the Bin
Every city will have variations of what kinds of recyclables they can pick up curbside, but one rule that is universal is items must be clean in order to be processed. Here’s how to get started:- Thoroughly wash out all glass bottles and plastic containers before throwing them into the bin with soap and water, similar to washing dishes.
- If you have a lot to recycle, it may be beneficial to run items through the dishwasher.
- Don’t try to recycle soiled paper products. Used paper towels, napkins, coffee cups, and pizza boxes are never accepted by a processing facility.