Recycled Packaging: What the Claims Actually Mean
Recycled content, recyclable, and compostable are not the same thing. Here is how to evaluate packaging sustainability claims.
Packaging sustainability claims are among the most confusing in the consumer goods industry. Recycled content, recyclable, biodegradable, and compostable are distinct properties that are frequently conflated in marketing materials. Understanding the differences helps you evaluate what a brand is actually doing.
Recycled content
Recycled content refers to the proportion of a material that comes from post-consumer or post-industrial recycled sources. A box made from 80% recycled cardboard contains 80% material that was previously used and diverted from landfill. This is a meaningful sustainability benefit because it reduces the demand for virgin materials and the energy required to produce them.
Recyclable
Recyclable means that a material can be recycled, not that it will be. Recyclability depends on local infrastructure. Glass is recyclable in most Australian councils. Soft plastics are not recyclable in kerbside bins in most Australian councils, though some supermarkets have collection points. A product labelled recyclable may not actually be recycled in your area.
Biodegradable and compostable
Biodegradable means that a material will break down over time through biological processes. The time frame is important: some materials labelled biodegradable take decades to break down in landfill conditions. Compostable means that a material will break down in a composting environment within a specified time frame. Home compostable and commercially compostable are different standards.
Our packaging
Our amber glass bottles are recyclable in standard kerbside recycling in Australia. Our outer cartons are made from FSC-certified board with recycled content. Our void fill is paper-based. We do not use foam, bubble wrap, or soft plastics in our packaging.