Less than 30% of plastic bottles are currently recycled in the U.S.and less than half of recyclables in U.S. homes get recycled by consumers. Nestlé Waters North America’s Poland Spring Brand 100% Natural Spring Water is teaming up with The Recycling Partnership to tackle one of the core reasons for low recycling rates: consumer confusion.
This month, Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving recycling trends in the U.S., launched their Instagram recycling hotline to help answer the common question, “Can I recycle this?” Consumers can post a photo of the item in question on their Instagram feed or in their stories tagging #NotTrash and @PolandSpringWtr to ask for help. Poland Spring and The Recycling Partnership will get back to them with an answer.
Poland Spring is donating $150,000 to The Recycling Partnership to help improve curbside access to recycling and inspire more Americans to recycle more, better. From August 12 to August 23, in partnership with Z100’s nationally-syndicated “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show,” every time listeners post a photo on Instagram stories or their feed of them recycling an emptied bottle with the cap on or post a question relating to what can be recycled, and tag #NotTrash and @PolandSpringWtr, Nestlé Waters North America isdonating an additional dollarper post to The Recycling Partnership up to $25,000. The promotion is airing across the radio show’s network of 75 affiliate stations nationwide.
“Consumers play a critical role in reducing waste and improving markets for recyclable materials by recycling properly,” says Keefe Harrison, CEO of The Recycling Partnership. “Debunking common recycling myths empowers residents to do their part to recycle better, which improves their local recycling programs, helps create a healthier U.S. recycling system, and is good for the planet.”
The companies report that using recycled plastic helps keep plastic out of landfills, oceans, and waterways, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions compared to using virgin plastic. Poland Spring says its current packaging is made from PET plastic and is 100% recyclable. The brand plans to convert all its individual-sized still water bottles to 100% recycled plastic by 2022 and gas started the transition.
A few other efforts the brand is making include expandingHow2Recyclelabels across all of its packaging, to remind consumers to empty the bottle, replace the cap, and recycle when they’re done. Nestlé Waters North America is also supporting recycling infrastructure through investments with organizations liketheClosed Loop Fundto help increase recycling capabilities throughout the U.S.
