[OKRA] Some Plastics Could See Recyclability Label Changes

Tue Feb 11 13:46:19 PST 2025

[image: image.png]
One of the most frequent questions OKRA gets is *how do you know if a
plastic can be recycled? *The industry is moving toward changes to make
plastic recycling much clearer for everyone.  OKRA  will be hosting a free
Lunch & Learn on April 16th to talk about plastic recycling.  More
information to follow.

[image: image.png]
Some plastics could see recyclability label changes
<https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2025/02/11/some-plastics-could-see-recyclability-label-changes/>
Published: February 11, 2025
Updated: February 11, 2025
by Colin Staub <https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/author/colinstaub/>

*Single-use PP beverage pods, such as those used for coffee and tea, may no
longer qualify for the “check locally” label, according to the latest data.*
 | *Primestock Photography / Shutterstock*

The How2Recycle labeling initiative is considering downgrading four types
of plastic packaging in response to recent acceptance data, it announced
last month. The program also downgraded aerosol cans, upgraded composite
containers and determined cartons are still “widely recyclable.”

For the U.S. market, polypropylene single-use beverage pods – such as the
K-Cup coffee pods – as well as HDPE trays, HDPE thermoforms and bulky rigid
plastics like HDPE and PP buckets were all flagged for review in the latest
guidance, published Jan. 31
<https://greenblue.org/2025/01/31/how2recycle-january-2025-guidelines/>.
That means How2Recycle “has received and is reviewing data suggesting the
potential need to upgrade or downgrade a material’s recyclability
category.” Additionally, in Canada, some flexible PE packaging was flagged
for review.

All four packaging types are facing potential downgrades if further review
confirms the materials don’t meet acceptance criteria for their existing
labels. How2Recycle publishes updated guidance twice per year, with its
last update in July 2024 and the next update slated for next July. A
How2Recycle spokesperson told Plastics Recycling Update it sometimes takes
multiple guidance cycles to review data and make a final decision on a
certain packaging type. But in the case of PP pods, the organization will
make its decision by this July, the spokesperson said.

The recent guidance update is the first to use a new national dataset
maintained by the initiative’s parent organization, GreenBlue, as well as
The Recycling Partnership. They announced
<https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2024/09/25/groups-share-national-recycling-acceptance-data/>
the
U.S. Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data project last fall, noting
it will be updated twice per year and will aim to closely track local
recycling program acceptance nationwide.

Besides the potential changes, How2Recycle also reported on previous
reviews that are now complete. It found no upgrades were warranted for HDPE
and PP squeeze tubes, which carry a “not yet recyclable” designation, or
for the “check locally” labels carried by PP beverage cups and PET beverage
cups in the U.S.

Outside of the plastics space, the guidance upgraded composite canisters
with steel bottoms from “not yet recyclable” to “check locally,” and it
downgraded aluminum and steel aerosol cans from “widely recyclable” to
“check locally.” It also found no changes needed to the “widely recyclable”
designation for fiber cartons.
Acceptance data contributes to potential changes

PP pods and bulky rigid plastics are currently in the “check locally”
labeling category, which requires that between 20% and 60% of Americans
have access to recycling those materials. Those materials are facing
downgrades to “not yet recyclable” due to the latest acceptance data,
How2Recycle wrote.

The publicly-available dataset
<https://recyclingpartnership.org/recycling-data/> maintained by The
Recycling Partnership – which How2Recycle noted is a key data source but
not the only one considered in its assessment – shows PP pods carry a 3%
acceptance rate in the U.S., HDPE bulky rigids carry a 13% acceptance rate,
and PP bulky rigids have 10% acceptance.

For PP pods, How2Recycle noted in the guidance document
<https://how2recycle.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/How2Recycle_GuidelinesforUse_Abbreviated.pdf>
that
the potential downgrade comes “despite significant efforts that have been
made to strengthen the end market for all PP and provide technical
recyclability data for this format. While the current data shows low
explicit acceptance, (The Recycling Partnership) is conducting a data
review to more thoroughly distinguish format acceptance nuances for this
package category. During this process, How2Recycle will not be issuing any
new Check Locally recyclable labels to pods in the U.S.”

HDPE trays, thermoforms and other formats – excluding bottles, tubs and
jars – are facing a downgrade from “widely recyclable,” which indicates
over 60% acceptance in the U.S., to “check locally.” HDPE trays have a 54%
acceptance rate, according to the dataset. Bottles, tubs and jars would
retain their “widely recyclable” labeling.

In Canada, specific flexible PE packaging including stand-up pouches,
metallized film, wrappers and other food packaging may be downgraded from
“widely recyclable,” which in Canada indicates over 50% acceptance, to
“check locally.” The potential change is “due to restricted acceptance for
recycling based on package format and product application,” How2Recycle
wrote. Other flexible PE such as grocery bags would retain “widely
recyclable” labels.

In a statement, How2Recycle Director Karen Hagerman praised member
companies for their efforts to increase material recyclability,
acknowledging that labeling changes can be frustrating.

“We also empathize with the feeling of setback that comes with a
downgrade,” Hagerman said. “Still, we trust that our members recognize the
need for labels that reflect the realities of the recycling system today,
and will use the change as an opportunity to invest in the design,
infrastructure, partnerships or end markets needed to improve
recyclability.”

The potential change in PP pod labeling comes as those materials are a key
focus for companies such as Keurig Dr Pepper and groups including the
Polypropylene Recycling Coalition, a TRP project.

Keurig switched its K-Cups from multi-material to solely PP in 2020
and recently
reported
<https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2024/06/26/keurig-dr-pepper-pursues-coffee-pod-recyclability/>
reducing
the amount of plastic used in each pod. But PP pod acceptance in local
programs has been challenging, the company acknowledged in its latest
sustainability report, even as PP in general maintains over 60% access
across the U.S.

Charlie Schwarze, senior director of sustainability at Keurig Dr Pepper,
told Plastics Recycling Update the existing How2Recycle labels on the
company’s pods will remain unchanged. He added it’s ultimately up to
communities to decide the materials they accept for recycling, as well as
how to communicate their accepted materials to residents

“Throughout the data review period, we encourage the Sustainable Packaging
Coalition to consider all of the different ways communities tell people
what and how to recycle,” Schwarze said this week. “We will also continue
to work with recyclers and communities to increase the collection and
explicit acceptance of items like beverage pods, as we have over the last
several years.”

*A version of this story appeared in **Plastics Recycling Update*
<https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2025/02/05/coffee-pods-bulky-rigids-may-lose-check-locally-label/>*
on
Feb. 5.*
*More stories about PP*

Posted in News <https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/category/news/>, Top
stories
<https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/category/news/top-stories/> |
Tagged HDPE <https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/tag/hdpe/>, industry
groups <https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/tag/industry-groups/>, PP
<https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/tag/pp/> |
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