nrdc: consumer goods packaging and recycling (pdf) · pouches (e.g. juice pouches), should ......

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............................................................................ ............................................................................ ........................................................................... ........................................................................... ........................................................................... ........................................................................... ........................................................................... ........................................................................... ........................................................................... SODA RECYCLING FOOD TRASH PLASTIC & CANS BOXES & CUPS SOURCE REDUCTION SURVEY RESULTS: MANY LAGGARDS AND A FEW BRIGHT SPOTS no.1 BOOSTING MATERIALS RECYCLING no.4 RECYCLABILITY AND MATERIALS USE no.3 no.2 Fast Food Restaurants Beverage Containers & Consumer Packaged Goods FOUR PILLARS OF PACKAGING STEWARDSHIP RECYCLED CONTENT GOALS GOALS Learn more at www.nrdc.org/business/consumer-goods-packaging.asp www.asyousow.org/recycling RECYCLING FOOD TRASH PLASTIC & CANS BOXES & CUPS We surveyed and ranked fast food and beverage companies based on their adoption of these four pillars: Companies need to do more to meet the Four Pillars of Packaging Stewardship! As You Sow & NRDC analyzed 47 companies and found that none are doing enough to make their packaging more sustainable. The United States only recycles half of packaging discards (and only 34.5% of all municipal waste), lagging behind other developed countries. WE’RE MAKING MORE AND MORE PACKAGING, AND IT’S HAVING A BIG IMPACT ON OUR PLANET. Using recycled content to make new products helps create a market for recycled materials and requires far fewer resources (energy, water, raw materials, etc). Materials that are very difficult to recycle, like flexible laminate pouches (e.g. juice pouches), should be avoided in favor of readily recyclable packaging. Switching to reusable packaging, or packaging with less material, is essential! Other materials are recycled but only AT LOW RATES because of lack of bins, infrastructure, end markets or public education. Companies have failed to do enough to ensure employees and customers have access to recycling. • Up to 50% of the U.S. population may lack convenient access to curbside recycling for commonly recycled materials like bottles, cans, and newspapers. • Companies are required to pay for collection of materials in Europe, Canada, and other markets, but fight accepting that responsibility in the U.S. • Many companies also fight container deposit legislation – the most successful demonstrated method to increase recycling rates, yet only operating in 10 states. Offer food and drinks in “dine-in” reusable serviceware Good start, Panera and Starbucks! Develop more reusable and bulk options Ramp up use of recycled content Good start, Starbucks and McDonald’s. Set goals to increase recycled content in packaging Good start, PepsiCo, Walmart & Nestlé Waters. You’re lagging, Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Snapple, Anheuser Busch, and Miller Coors. Design packaging that is easy and safe to recycle: do NOT design packaging that can’t be recycled Good start, Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Procter & Gamble. Listen up, Kraft/Capri Sun – juice pouches can’t be readily recycled!! Set bottle and can recycling goals Good work, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé Waters! You’re lagging, Anheuser Busch, Dr Pepper Snapple, and Miller Coors. Support programs (like producer responsibility) proven to increase recycling rates in other countries Good leadership, Nestlé Waters and New Belgium Brewing. Don’t use problem packaging like polystyrene foam that is easily littered and difficult to recycle Stop using foam cups, Chick-fil-A! Thanks for dropping foam, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Brands. Make sure that packaging is actually recycled All fast food restaurants should have recycling bins and clear signage for both employees and guests. Compost bins too! Good work, Pret A Manger – the only fast food restaurant offering recycling at all its locations! The rest of the fast food industry is lagging. All fast food brands: if you use black plastic, work with local recyclers to be sure they have the technology to recycle it. SODA SODA WATER ORGANIC ORGANIC is the fastest growing form of packaging, yet only 14% of it is recycled in the U.S. PLASTIC PACKAGING

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Page 1: NRDC: Consumer Goods Packaging and Recycling (PDF) · pouches (e.g. juice pouches), should ... recyclable packaging. Switching to reusable packaging, or packaging with less material,

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SODA

RECYCLINGFOOD

TRASH

PLASTIC & CANS

BOXES & CUPS

SOURCE REDUCTION

SURVEY RESULTS: MANY LAGGARDS AND A FEW BRIGHT SPOTS

no.1

BOOSTING MATERIALS RECYCLINGno.4

RECYCLABILITYAND MATERIALS USE no.3

no.2

Fast Food Restaurants Beverage Containers & Consumer Packaged Goods

FOUR PILLARS OF PACKAGING STEWARDSHIP

RECYCLED CONTENT

GOALS

GOALS

Learn more at www.nrdc.org/business/consumer-goods-packaging.asp

www.asyousow.org/recycling

RECYCLINGFOOD

TRASH

PLASTIC & CANS

BOXES & CUPS

We surveyed and ranked fast food and beverage companies based on their adoption of these four pillars:

Companies need to do more to meet the Four Pillars of Packaging Stewardship!

As You Sow & NRDC analyzed 47 companies and found that none are doing enoughto make their packaging more sustainable.

The United States only recycles half of packaging discards (and only 34.5% of all municipal waste), lagging behind other developed countries.

WE’RE MAKING MORE AND MORE PACKAGING, AND IT’S HAVING A BIG IMPACT ON OUR PLANET.

Using recycled content to make new products helps create a market for recycled materials and requires far fewer resources (energy, water, raw materials, etc).

Materials that are very difficult to recycle, like flexible laminate pouches (e.g. juice pouches), should be avoided in favor of readily recyclable packaging.

Switching to reusable packaging, or packaging with less material, is essential!

Other materials are recycled but only AT LOW RATES because of lack of bins, infrastructure, end markets or public education. Companies have failed to do enough to ensure employees and customers have access to recycling.

• Up to 50% of the U.S. population may lack convenient access to curbside recycling for commonly recycled materials like bottles, cans, and newspapers.

• Companies are required to pay for collection of materials in Europe, Canada, and other markets, but fight accepting that responsibility in the U.S.

• Many companies also fight container deposit legislation – the most successful demonstrated method to increase recycling rates, yet only operating in 10 states.

Offer food and drinks in “dine-in” reusable servicewareGood start, Panera and Starbucks!

Develop more reusable and bulk options

Ramp up use of recycled contentGood start, Starbucks and McDonald’s.

Set goals to increase recycled content in packaging Good start, PepsiCo, Walmart & Nestlé Waters.

You’re lagging, Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper Snapple, Anheuser Busch, and Miller Coors.

Design packaging that is easy and safe to recycle: do NOT design packaging that can’t be recycledGood start, Colgate-Palmolive, Clorox, and Procter & Gamble.

Listen up, Kraft/Capri Sun – juice pouches can’t be readily recycled!!

Set bottle and can recycling goals Good work, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Nestlé Waters!

You’re lagging, Anheuser Busch, Dr Pepper Snapple, and Miller Coors.

Support programs (like producer responsibility) proven to increase recycling rates in other countriesGood leadership, Nestlé Waters and New Belgium Brewing.

Don’t use problem packaging like polystyrene foam that is easily littered and difficult to recycleStop using foam cups, Chick-fil-A!

Thanks for dropping foam, McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Brands.

Make sure that packaging is actually recycledAll fast food restaurants should have recycling bins and clear signage for both employees and guests. Compost bins too! Good work, Pret A Manger – the only fast food restaurant offering recycling at all its locations!The rest of the fast food industry is lagging. All fast food brands: if you use black plastic, work with local recyclers to be sure they have the technology to recycle it.

SODA SODA WATER

ORGANIC ORGANIC

is the fastest growing form of packaging, yet only 14% of it is recycled in the U.S.PLASTIC PACKAGING