QR codes with hyperlocal recycling instructions will soon show up on your milk cartons, ice cream tubs, and more, according to a recent report from Axios. This means you can scan an item, type in your ZIP code, and see if it’s eligible for the blue bin.
“Just because a product says it’s recyclable, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s recyclable where you live,” notes Rishi Banerjee, director of the Consumer Brands Association’s SmartLabel program.
Why it matters: 60% of consumers are confused about what and how to recycle, according to The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit — depressing the already-low recycling law compliance rate.
By the numbers: The overall U.S. recycling rate is around 32%, the EPA says. However, plastics are under 6%, per a recent report.
Driving the news: Recycle Check, a new program run by The Recycling Partnership, launched earlier this year and is busy signing up consumer brands to add local recycling info to their packaging via QR codes.
Two early adopters are General Mills (maker of Yoplait, Pillsbury, Chex, Betty Crocker, etc.) and Horizon Organics, which makes dairy products.
Products from those companies with local recycling details will soon be on store shelves, says Sarah Dearman, chief innovation officer for The Recycling Partnership.
What they’re saying: “There’s about 9,000 different recycling districts across the U.S., and we have them all in a database,” Dearman said. “It takes the guesswork out of recycling.”
- The recycling information will be dynamic — meaning that if a facility starts to accept a type of material that it had previously turned away, that change will be reflected in real time.
Where it stands: For now, consumers must either take at face value the recycling information that’s printed on a product package (which may be wrong for a particular locality) or actively seek out more granular information if it’s available.
What’s next: The number of manufacturers using Recycle Check is likely to grow quickly, thanks to deals with two major labeling systems.
The big picture: We’ll soon be able to find out all manner of things about the products we buy through QR codes, from recipes and nutrition info to potential allergens and product recalls.
The SmartLabel program, launched in 2016, now has 78 companies participating, including giants like PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Hershey, Clorox and Reckitt