Find more information on our parent nonprofit, GreenBlue’s website.
Our consumers are our biggest advocates! If you see a brand without the How2Recycle label, reach out to them and let them know this program is important to you.
How2Recycle membership is only available to businesses, not consumers. If you are a business interested in joining, visit our parent nonprofit, GreenBlue’s website.
Our technical team assigns labels using the following criteria. However, we know mistakes can happen. If you spot a package and suspect it has the wrong label, please reach out to us at How2Recycle@greenblue.org so we can take a second look at it. It’s important to provide as much information about the package as possible, such as the name of the brand, the product, and the How2Recycle label you see on package– photos are great when possible!
The How2Recycle label is built on nationally harmonized data. We determine recyclability based on applicable law, access to collection, technical recyclability, and end markets. Additionally, we closely monitor legislation and guidance in the US and Canada, including the US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Green Guides and Competition Bureau Canada to avoid consumer deception and increase the reliability of recyclability claims.
If it is unclear whether or not a package is recyclable, it is best to toss it in the trash to avoid the risk of contaminating the recycling stream.
Putting the cap back on the bottle ensures the cap gets recycled. It’s too small to flow through a recycling facility on its own. However, in some instances where the cap isn’t recyclable due to the material it is made of, our label will tell you to ‘Discard Cap.’ We closely work with the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), and they represent more than 90% of plastic recyclers in the US. You can read more about APR’s recommendation here.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide guidance on packages that do not contain a How2Recycle label, as we do not have all of the package specifications to determine the appropriate recyclability designation.
Our consumers are our biggest advocates! If you see a brand without the How2Recycle label, reach out to them and let them know this program is important to you.
RICs were created in the 80s for industry workers to identify different plastics. They were never intended to be consumer-facing recycle symbols. RICs don’t tell the entire story of a package’s recyclability. For instance, the RIC may specify what number of plastic a container is, but other parts of the container may not be recyclable, causing contamination to facilities.
Some communities do sort by “number,” but many communities specify recyclables by package type, like “bottle” or “jug.” The culture and language of recycling can be very different from town to town!
Our technical assessments consider every part of a package before assigning it a How2Recycle label- to provide you with instructions for each component.
The How2Compost label applies to packages that have already been certified compostable in industrial facilities by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).
Industrial composting facilities take large volumes of organic materials and carefully monitor nutrient, oxygen, moisture, and temperature levels to produce a high-quality compost product. Currently, How2Compost only certifies packages that meet BPI’s requirements for industrial composting.
The How2Recycle program provides the disposal instructions consumers need in one concise label. Transparency from brands is crucial for consumers to understand their packages and have more success disposing of them properly.
It’s just as important to communicate with consumers what isn’t recyclable. The Not Yet Recyclable label keeps packages that can’t be recycled out of the recycling stream, reducing contamination and improving the quality of recycled material. If you find a Not Yet Recyclable label on a package, this item belongs in the trash.
Yes, the How2Recycle program is available in Canada. Please explore our site to learn about the differences in our program between the US and Canada.
Store Drop-off for PE packages is only available in the US. Packages assigned the Store Drop-off label in the US are eligible for Widely Recyclable designations in Canada. In this case, place these packages in a curbside or drop-off bin.
