New Earth Approved Sustainability Standards
#1 Curbside Recyclable or Compostable
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We want packaging materials to be as easy for consumers to recycle as possible. This means ensuring as many products as possible are curbside recyclable so consumers and businesses can recycle them without having to take them to special drop-off locations.
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Recycling beats composting: materials should be kept in circulation at their highest and best use. If an item is both recyclable and compostable, it is preferred for it be recycled, since recycling preserves the material at a higher quality and with higher functionality.
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For example, paper can often be both recycled and composted. It is better for paper to get to turn into paper again, rather than be "downcycled" into soil where it can't fulfill its original purpose as paper again.
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While not all municipalities accept the same recyclables, we look for materials that are widely accepted by most curbside programs.
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Packaging that can’t be made from recyclable materials should be compostable, and preferably home compostable over industrially compostable to ensure as many people can compost the item as possible.