The short answer is, YES!
A product’s package has a tremendous job to do. Not only is it meant to protect the product and ensure it makes it to the consumer’s home intact and uncontaminated, it also must act as a vehicle to communicate key information to the buyer such as nutrition facts or safety instructions. It must do all this while touting eye-catching graphics critical to the First Moment of Truth (FMOT).
Many packages we see on shelf today, utilize the chasing arrows with Resin Identification Codes (RICs), on the product to indicate recyclability. But as Gray tells us, that isn’t the solution, “The triangular symbol containing a number on the bottom of plastic containers does not always mean that the container can be recycled or that it can be recycled everywhere. “At Rumpke, rather than telling the general population a number, they provide information on what shape of packaging can be collected, for example: “Rumpke instructs customers to evaluate the shape of the plastic container. If the top of the container is narrower than the base and has a screw lid, it is acceptable.”
Beyond ensuring that the materials a package is made from are recyclable, brands should confirm that the shape and size of their product will travel through the recycling process correctly. Otherwise, the product might inadvertently be rejected by the recycling process and discarded as waste.
Those designing new packaging formats should also take into consideration that just because a material can be recycled doesn’t mean there is an end market for its recycled form. “Companies should understand the technology used to separate recyclable material and that there are some limitations with the technology,” says Gray. “Companies should also understand the demands of the end markets.”
When asked if brands should consult Rumpke, or other MRFs, when designing packaging, Gray, explained that indeed, companies do consult them regarding packaging design. “This makes sense so Rumpke’s input can be considered when decisions are made.”
Instituting practices that contribute to packaging being recycled subsequently leads to less waste and a cleaner world. Educating individuals, especially those developing new formats, on the process, criteria and the use, if any, of end market recycled form, can positively impact the design and materials used. The key is knowing beforehand the probability of creating a recycled product that truly works in the system we have in place.
In conclusion, everyone should strive to have a more thorough understanding of what happens to the packaging they create, or use, once it serves its intended purpose.