Featured FAQ: What is “Recyclable”?

Packaging is recyclable if it can be collected, sorted, reprocessed, and ultimately reused in manufacturing or making another item.

Just because a material is recyclable, doesn’t mean a particular package made from that material is recyclable. For instance, PET bottles are widely collected, sorted, and reused to make something new (like our BlueStripe cold cups). However, PET cups are not widely collected and sorted for a number of reasons.

Are your products recyclable?

In short, probably not. Our GreenStripe® products are made from renewable materials that are intended to be composted if possible (and disposed of with regular trash if not). Our BlueStripe™ products are made from materials that have been recycled, however their shape and possible food contamination make them undesirable to recyclers.

We partner with How2Recycle to determine if our products can be labeled as “recyclable” – and they follow the guidelines set forth by the Federal Trade Commision (FTC) in the U.S. and the Competition Bureau Canada (CBC) to make their decisions. Their labeling system that details how to treat each component of a package can be found on many consumer goods. To achieve the “Widely Recycled” label, at least 60% of Americans (or 50% of Canadians) must be able to recycle the package at curbside recycling or drop-off recycling.

Every community and recycling center has different equipment and sorting systems, and therefore different lists of items they can accept. We encourage you to check with your local municipality or materials recovery facility (MRF, i.e. “merf”) to determine what materials and products they are able to take.

Further reading:

How2Recycle Guide to Recyclability
FTC Green Guides Summary
CBC Environmental Claims and Greenwashing

Let’s Put Waste to Work