The Next Phase in Recycling Goals

Moving past the 100% recyclable goal

Many companies, such as Kellogg’s and Colgate have set 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging goals within their brands. The problem is, nobody is tracking whether the packaging of these companies is actually recycled, and what new products they’re becoming.

Without this tracking or a recycled products end-of-life journey, we can’t determine the extent of the environmental impact from how their packaging was recycled. A product’s recyclability is only one in the first of many steps determining if your packaging is suitable to today’s recycling system.

Other important questions are: Is the packaging collected by the majority of recycling programs? Can the packaging be separated easily from the rest of the recyclables? Is the packaging material worth for the cost to collect and separate it? Is the packaging down-cycled into a product which is unlikely to also be recycled at its end-of-life?

These questions are more difficult to answer. Additionally, most companies may not want to spend the time and resources investigating the recyclability factors. Companies who are serious about fixing the recycling system in their country, need to go beyond and consider long-term recyclability goals. Taking into consideration what they are inputting into the recycling system.

The costs for recyclers

Companies need to consider whether their packaging will help recyclers on the back end with added revenue. Certain types of paper, aluminum beverage cans and certain kinds of plastic are the best for recycling multiple times. While low or even negative value materials include glass, cartons and mixed papers.

They also should consider if the material is easy to separate and sell for the needed revenue. For example, steel cans are easy to remove from the rest of the single stream recyclables via a magnet. Robotics and other optical scanners are used to avoid materials being missorted.

Recycling’s environmental impact

Companies should consider the environmental impact that comes with how their packaging is recycled in addition to their economic impact.

The amount of energy saved from making a product with recycled material can differentiate compared to virgin material. With plastic and glass, it’s about a third or the cost. Although products such as aluminum cans and steel cans lower costs 90 percent and 75 percent, respectively.

However, companies still should consider whether the materials in their packaging can loop numerous times. Plastic, for example, can be recycled merely two to three times.
Unlike glass and metal material, which can be recycled many more times, as there is no loss in quality when recycling them.

Choice of packaging is critical to recycling

The most important thing when creating a recycling system is either investing in the technology and infrastructure to economically and efficiently recycled at a large scale, or having more companies create packaging that recycles economically and efficiently in the current system. Currently, neither is happening.

In today’s recycling system, too much packaging entering into the marketplace does not work. It’s hard to separate, or not easy to recycle into anything useful. It’s no wonder there are now petitions to take the green chasing arrows symbol off all plastic packaging. Even companies like Walmart are being sued for misleading recyclability labels on their plastic products and packaging.

A company making sure all its packaging is technically recyclable does little to address this problem if recycling systems can’t process them efficiently.

Companies looking to increase their green impact need to go beyond technically “recyclable” in the sustainability metrics used to choose their packaging. There’s an opportunity for a company to be the first mover in next level recycling and packaging choice. Once many companies make the shift, the recycling system will thrive and the economic and environmental impact from recycling will multiply.

When you think about the recycled policies of large companies? Let us know by joining in on the conversation by heading over to our 4thePlanet Facebook Group. Also, make sure to follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Medium, to stay up to date on all things 4thePlanet.