My goal is to try and find out the recyclability of the products in my life, for as long and as often as I can stand it. I am doing this by contacting the producers, one-by-one, to get answers.
This resolve started at the beginning of February, principally because my frustration over the lack of recyclable product labeling reached a boiling point. How am I supposed to responsibly consume if companies don’t label their products?
Reasons for this label-lacking, none of them good, could include: laziness, low corporate responsibility, low consciousness/awareness and no consumer response or backlash.
In the dysfunctional, self-policing environment of the food industry, it’s increasingly important that consumers speak out against products that aren’t recyclable or biodegradable. There is no reason, for example, that common tea requires packaging that isn’t biodegradable or recyclable. Maybe NASA can squeak by with some weirdo products (for now), but not Bigelow.
So far, the majority of items I have contacted companies about are not items that I am consuming or buying myself – rather the bulk comes from people at my office and school in the form of food packaging. This behavior started to give me some serious anxiety, seeing these items go in the trash and whatnot, and so my response is to proceed with small quiet activism.
In every call or e-mail I try to ask:
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The current running:
Product: Land O’ Lakes Mini Moo’s Half & Half (e-mailed 2/24)
Item in question: plastic container
Emailed: consumeraffairs@landolakes.com
Representative: Alberto Vasquez
Total time: approx. 5 minutes
Answer:
Thank you for your recent e-mail to LAND O LAKES®. We appreciate your interest in our company.
At this point there are no nation-wide recycling standards. Each state and jurisdiction has different recycling rules based on cost-effectiveness, quantities of the materials in circulation and regional differences.
We are an environmentally concerned company and will always strive to use the most earth-friendly packaging available. Your comments are appreciated and we will not rule out any future changes, but at this point we feel that we are using the most environmentally friendly and cost effective packaging for our products.
Thanks again for contacting the Consumer Affairs Department.
Sincerely,
Alberto Vasquez
Consumer Response Representative
My assessment: This is a non-answer.
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Product: Premium Bigelow Green Tea: 100% Organic
Item in question: outer wrap
Number dialed: 1-888-BIGELOW
Representative: Cathy
Total time: approx. 5 minutes
Answer: After telling Cathy that I was asking about the outer wrap (and describing in detail the item) she proceeded to give me a spiel along these lines…“The filtered bag is biodegradable, the bag is biodegradable, the string is …”
Until I finally stopped her to let her know I was only interested in the outer wrap, and she replied, “We are working on something at this time.”
She declined to give a ballpark year for when the item would be wrapped in sustainable packaging.
My assessment: No good answer!
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Product: Starbucks drinks (e-mailed 2/19)
Item in Question: green straw
Response received 2/24:
Hello Hannah,
First of all, I’d like to apologize for the delay in responding to your e-mail. I appreciate your patience.
Due to the nature of your inquiry, we are unable to provide an ideal response via email. Therefore, we would like the opportunity to provide/gather more information in order to best assist you. Please call our customer relations department at 1-800-235-2883. Upon calling, please reference # 8098494. Our representatives will be happy to help you with any questions or concerns you might have.
Starbucks call center hours:
Monday-Friday 5:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time
We look forward to hearing from you.
Nicole W.
Customer Relations
Starbucks Coffee Company
800 23-LATTE (235-2883)
Monday through Friday, 5AM to 6PM (PST)
If you would like to share your thoughts about your experience with Starbucks Customer Contact Center, please click on the link below to participate in a short survey. Your comments will be used to ensure that any future experiences with Starbucks Customer Contact Center meet your highest expectations.
http://www.starbuckscontactcenter.com/?group=CR&template=CR117&CN=8098494
Follow up Call
(Cheesy but better than most wait-on-the-line music from the prohibition era)
Total time: 15 minutes
Answer: #5 Polypropylene
Why wasn’t it labeled: Since not all municipalities can recycle this, it can’t be 100% guaranteed recyclable. (what?!)
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Product: Campbell’s select harvest clam chowder (called 2/19)
Item in question: green lid
Answer: #5 “other plastic HDPE”
Number dialed: 1 800 257-8443
Representative: Kay
Total time: approx. 15 minutes
Why wasn’t it labeled: No good answer
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Product: Sam’s club Bakers & Chefs plastic cutlery (called 2/17)
Follow-up phone call and e-mail on 2/25
Georgia-Pacific CRC <GPCRC@gapac.com>
Subject: Bakers & Chefs Plastic Forks – 600ct-Case #649850
Date: Thu, Feb 25, 2010 at 9:49 AM
Good Morning:
Per our conversation, the following information is in regards to the Bakers & Chefs(tm) Plastic Forks, 600 count.
Bakers & Chefs(tm) Plastic Forks – 600ct
Recycle #6
Polystyrene Plastic
It was a pleasure speaking with you and I hope this information is helpful to you.
Again, thank you and have a great day.
Brandy
Consumer Response Center
gpcrc@gapac.com | 800-283-5547
-
Ref #649850
Answer: #6 Polystyrene Plastic
Total time: over 30 minutes (initial call, follow-up call and e-mail)
Why wasn’t it labeled: No good reason. Brandy assures me that my complaint will be forwarded to the marketing and packaging department(s).
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www.arnoldbread.com
Product: Arnold Pita Bread Sandwich Thins (called 2/?)
Item in question: outer bag
Answer: #4
Total time: less than 10 minutes
Why wasn’t it labeled: no good answer
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Emily Joy
03/06/2010
Hannah,
I love this project. Thank you for taking the time to investigate just how much corporations take recycling and the environment into account. Really it’s sickening, but as long as there are people like you asking questions and pushing the envelope eventually something will change. Montana needs so much help motivating consumers and setting up accessible recycling programs. If you have any suggestions on how to focus and act on a local level, before the larger question of the corporate production is even considered, I’m all ears. Thanks for being a Badass.
xoxo, Em
Heather
04/12/2010
Thank you! I use Bakers & Chefs plastic spoons at work (because they’re what is provided) and was trying (in vain) online to find out the recycling information about their products. Your website is fantastic! Please keep updating!
Author
04/12/2010
Em,
I’m glad you like it. I recently have become a little fatigued with it (I could spend every hour of my life just dedicated to this alone..) but from time to time I do still make calls and pursue the cause.
One of the things that I’ve realized recently is that buying from bulk food stores is a good way to cut down on packaging waste.
I don’t know what to tell you about Montana. Sometimes I wish I were an environmental science major. These problems in our society are so glaring and only getting worse. As someone posted on facebook recently “there is no away to throw things”. This is the state of things and recycling is only one of the most basic ways that we have to remedy our unsustainable lifestyles.
Heather,
Thanks! Glad the post was useful to you. I hope I’ve empowered you to make your own phone calls. It’s usually a 15-20 minute commitment, but once you make the call for a product that is constantly in your life, you always know how to recycle it. :)
Cassie
08/18/2010
I love that you’re doing this! Here at the Exploratorium we just did a workshop for teachers about Plastics and the Watershed. After doing my own “how much plastic do I use in a week” collection activity, I’ve become acutely aware of the amount of plastic that doesn’t have markings. If I’m to do my part and recycle, I NEED numbers! I found your blog because I, too, was trying to determine the number for the Mini-Moos which I use daily! ugh! I think the solution for me is to just bring my own dairy creamer in a recyclable, or better yet compostable, container.
Good luck in your work!
Cassie
Author
08/23/2010
Hey Cassie,
I think that the key is what you were getting at near the end – that reduction in the plastics we use every day and opting for biodegradable stuff is a much better solution than hunting down recycling #s.
I’ve become pretty disillusioned with plastics recycling, it just seems to bring about more use of fossil fuel energy, chemicals, etc. for marginal return.
But it’s good to pressure companies anyway. Good luck if you try it!