Today, onstage at the How2Recycle Summit, How2Recycle unveiled its new dynamic label offering, How2Recycle Plus, which features The Recycling Partnership’s (The Partnership) Recycle Check QR code. The announcement, which was made by GreenBlue Executive Director, Paul Nowak, and The Recycling Partnership Vice President of Recyclability Solutions, Katherine Huded, will pave the way for trusted, real-time local recycling and disposal instructions beginning in 2025.
The announcement follows How2Recycle’s unveiling of How2Recycle Pro, a refreshed version of its Legacy Label designed to be actionable, clear, and compliant with new regulations. The label design refresh marks a new chapter for North America’s most recognizable on-pack label—and now, How2Recycle’s more than 800 members will be able to adopt the dynamic How2Recycle Plus featuring Recycle Check label, bringing the newly integrated label to packages nationwide.
“How2Recycle has the consumer recognition—8 in 10 Americans recognize our labels—and the brand reach to make it an obvious choice and a simple solution in the evolving world of recycling policy and consumer education,” said GreenBlue Executive Director Paul Nowak. “Now for the first time, we have the data and technology to link national brand packaging with local recycling program acceptance.”
“With a How2Recycle label already inside nearly every home in America, the new label, featuring Recycle Check, delivers real-time information on what is accepted for recycling locally to people across the country,” said Katherine Huded, Vice President of Recyclability Solutions. “Reducing confusion on what can be recycled is essential to improving the U.S. recycling rate. Real-time, location-specific education is a critical tool for recovering the 76% of what could be recycled but is instead sent to landfills or incinerators.”
This new label offering comes after a year-long pilot that paired the widely recognized How2Recycle Legacy Label with The Recycling Partnership’s Recycle Check QR code.
Now, when How2Recycle members opt to adopt the How2Recycle Plus label featuring Recycle Check, the label lets consumers scan the QR code, enter a zip code or allow location permissions and receive a clear, yes-no answer on whether a material is accepted for recycling in their community. How2Recycle Plus featuring Recycle Check draws from The Partnership’s National Recycling Database (Database). The Database includes acceptance data across more than 9,000 unique community recycling programs, representing 99% of the U.S. population. On September 23, the Database released, for the very first time, Community Recycling Program Acceptance Data, which provides critical insights that power digital tools and empowers companies, local governments, policymakers, and the public to navigate recycling acceptance.
In recent years, the fragmented recycling system, changes to material recyclability, and issues with access to recycling have contributed to the erosion of trust in the recycling system. The recycling system is faced with new changes as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation spreads, states seek to advance “label laws” to regulate recycling chasing arrows, and consumers demand transparency around recycling. To meet the moment, How2Recycle Plus featuring Recycle Check can help clear confusion around recycling and empower individuals to make informed disposal decisions.
The power of the How2Recycle Plus label featuring Recycle Check stems in part from the reach of How2Recycle’s members, the widespread recognition of the How2Recycle labels—nearly 84% of Americans recognize the label—and The Recycling Partnership’s robust program-level acceptance data.
Starting today, the How2Recycle Plus featuring the Recycle Check label is available for brand adoption and application to their packaging. Individuals will begin to find packages featuring this label in 2025. Anyone seeking disposal information today can continue looking for the How2Recycle label for instruction. For local recycling information, The Partnership’s Recycle Check chatbot provides a clear yes-no answer on what is accepted for recycling today in their community at recyclecheck.org