Aiming to simplify recycling across the U.S, How2Recycle recently revealed its new How2Recycle Plus label, featuring The Recycling Partnership’s Recycle Check QR code and anticipated to pave the way for real-time local recycling and disposal instructions, beginning in 2025.
This new label comes after a year-long pilot that paired the How2Recycle Legacy label with The Recycling Partnership’s Recycle Check QR code. Apparently, when How2Recycle members opt to adopt the new label, it allows consumers to scan the QR code, enter a zip code or allow location permissions and receive a clear, ‘yes or no’ answer on whether a material is accepted for recycling in their community.
The How2Recycle Plus label with Recycle Check draws from The Partnership’s National Recycling Database (Database). According to The Recycling Partnership, the Database includes acceptance data across more than 9,000 unique community recycling programs, representing 99% of the U.S. population. On September 23, the Database released Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data, providing critical insights that power digital tools and empower companies, local governments, policymakers, and the public to navigate recycling acceptance.
The Partnership adds that nearly 84% of Americans recognize the label. The new How2Recycle Plus label is now available for brand adoption and packaging applications.
“With a How2Recycle label already inside nearly every home in America, the new label, featuring Recycle Check, delivers real-time information on what is accepted for recycling locally to people across the country,” said Katherine Huded, vice president of Recyclability Solutions at The Recycling Partnership. “Reducing confusion on what can be recycled is essential to improving the U.S. recycling rate. Real-time, location-specific education is a critical tool for recovering the 76% of what could be recycled but is instead sent to landfills or incinerators.”
In September last year, Sappi Europe added a linen-embossed version of its Parade Label WS paper label to its portfolio of wet-glue wet-strength label papers, said to offer ‘outstanding’ performance and visual appeal in applications including returnable beverage bottles. The paper claims to offer ‘superior’ washability when applied to reusable bottles, especially when metallized for aesthetic purposes.
A few months later, UPM Raflatac unveiled a new wash-off label solution, OptiCut, designed for returnable and reusable plastic food containers. The new solution is reportedly compatible with most direct thermal printers and weighing scales and offers “excellent” washability.
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