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RecycleReady Technology

for store drop-off recycling

Man Filling Recycling Bin On Suburban Street

Enabling recyclable packaging

RecycleReady Technology for store drop-off recycling from Dow offers packaging manufacturers and brands an option. By using Dow’s portfolio of resins, adhesives, and compatibilizers, packaging manufacturers can produce sustainable, recyclable packaging – a way to create flexible packaging that can be easily recycled through existing polyethylene (PE) film recycle streams, such as grocery store drop-off programs in the United States and Canada. And even better, these packages qualify for the How2Recycle logo.

Performance of multi-layered packaging with the added benefit of recyclability

Don’t compromise recyclability for the features you need from multi-material, multi-layered pouches, flow wrappers, and barrier film. Brand owners, retailers, and consumers using packages made with RecycleReady technology experience:  

 

    • Comparable functional performance in stiffness and barrier protection*  

    • Complete hermetic seals to avoid leaks 

    • Same end-use convenience 

    • Recyclability in communities with existing programs for PE film recycling

Refining the technology

Introduction to RecycleReady Technology started with PE pouches with low barrier applications like dry foods, frozen foods, and dry product. Since then, we have continued to refine the technology, which has led to enhancements including better barrier, better stiffness, and higher temperature tolerances to allow an even greater variety of end-use applications.   

RecycleReady technology products

RecycleReady Technology for store drop-off recycling utilizes IP-protected Dow products like those below to offer a range of functional options and thus create an entire family of solutions. Current North American formulations include: 

  • RecycleReady LB - for low barrier
  • RecycleReady IB - for improved barrier 
  • RecycleReady AB - for advanced barrier 
  • RecycleReady IP - for improved processing 
  • RecycleReady IS - for improved stiffness   
Woman placing blue plastic package into a Plastic Only recycle bin at the grocery store.

Store drop off recycling

Many grocery stores, home centers, and department stores now offer containers for recycling plastic shopping bags. Additionally, a wide variety of films, wraps, and other plastic bags can go in these retail store bins. These include bags and films made from HDPE (commonly known as #2) and LDPE and LLDPE (commonly known as #4), and items with the “How2Recycle” Store Drop-Off label.  

 

Packaging using RecycleReady Technology that qualifies for the “How2Recycle” Store Drop-Off label can be recycled at any of these sites.  

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How2Recycle labels in North America

In North America, when brand owners and retailers request RecycleReady Technology from their converters, their final package structure can be submitted to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to qualify for the “How2Recycle” label.**   

When approved for use, the “How2Recycle” label can be printed on the packaging, providing conspicuous evidence of its recyclability to consumers, as well as clear instructions regarding the recycling process – in this case, the “grocery store drop off” system.  

*Compared to current stand up pouches (SUP) in the market; check barrier requirements that are suitable for PE SUP applications.  

**The “How2Recycle” label is a project of GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition® (SPC) of which Dow is a founding member.

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