The popular TV show War on Waste showed us that 85% of soft plastics from bags and packaging ends up in landfill. Here at Bygreen we are committed to reducing the impact of plastic waste on our environment, as our contribution towards sustainable living.
At Bygreen, we believe in the power of education to change consumer behaviour. Through our product packaging and social media channels, we are raising consumer awareness about how to correctly recycle different types of packaging materials, and to reduce the environmental impact of single use disposable packaging.
One of the actions we are taking to reduce waste is to include on-pack labelling for disposal or recovery on all our new products. This means that we will provide clear information and advice about how to appropriately dispose of product packaging, including recycled content, on our labelling. For example, some of our packaging materials are compostable, which means that our customers can pop them straight into their background compost bin or worm farm!
Indeed, packaging can be made up of a variety of different components and materials, and many of these require different disposal methods. Some belong in the bin, some can be recycled, while others require special instructions in order to be recycled correctly. For example, materials like soft (or ‘scrunchable’) plastics, need to be returned to the REDCycle collection bins in local Coles or Woolworths stores across Australia, in order to be recycled into new products. Sometimes, the lid of a container needs to be separated, because lids are often not recyclable. Another example is aluminium foil, which can only be easily recycled if consumers scrunch them into balls before putting them in the recycling bin.
Our on-pack labelling will provide clear, accessible recycling instructions. This will help to improve consumer understanding and awareness and empower consumers to dispose of their packaging correctly. Combined with our website, blog articles and publications, we will help to spread the message of sustainability.
Furthermore, we are also working hard to redesign our product packaging, to minimise the use of packaging materials in the first place, and to design packaging that is recyclable at end-of-life. We have already made significant progress in this area. We would love to keep hearing from our customers and suppliers about their ideas for minimising waste. Let us know your great ideas!
Together, we can have a large impact on recycling and avoid recyclable materials ending up in our landfills. So, keep your eye out as we introduce these labels to our product range in order to help you find the information you need to help look after our planet.