Earthbound Farm to Switch All Packaging to 100% Post Consumer Recycled PET Plastic

Earthbound Farm recently announced they are switching all of their fresh salad packing to 100% post consumer recycled plastic.  This is a major step in the right direction and Earthbound Farm becomes the first in to make the switch according to the company. 

Fresh salad  "clamshell' tub containers are made from #1  polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic which is highly recyclable.  However many communities including the entire state of Rhode Island where I live will not accept this type of packaging for recycling even though its made from #1 PET plastic.  Creating tub containers requires a different manufacturing process at a different temperature than producing plastic bottles - so many communities will not recycle the containers.

Earthbound Farm is now using 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PCR PET) packaging produced by Packaging Plus.  

Virgin PET is made primarily from natural gas feedstock, whereas PCR PET is made from previously used plastic products such as soda or water bottles that would otherwise end up in landfills. Many food and nonfood packages are made from PET because it is light, shatter resistant, safe and recyclable. PCR PET materials use significantly less energy and water to produce than virgin plastic and result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste, according to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

Based on Earthbound Farm’s annual usage of rigid PET plastic in 2008, the company’s conversion to 100 percent PCR PET for clamshell packaging will conserve 424,000 million BTUs and 68,307 gallons of water, as well as eliminate 16,191 tons of carbon dioxide and divert 1.3 million pounds of solid waste from landfills.

“We started farming organically because we were concerned about the personal and environmental health effects of farming with chemicals”, said Myra Goodman, co-founder and executive vice president of Earthbound Farm.

“Organic farming has really positive effects, but we know we have to do more. More ecological packaging is an important next step; one we hope others will soon follow. “

To both celebrate its 25th anniversary and increase awareness of the ecological benefits of PCR packaging, Earthbound Farm is launching a redesigned label on its salad greens packages, calling out the post-consumer content of the packaging.

The company is also launching a web-based contest seeking quotes from children for the inside of its clamshell salad labels. Kids will be encouraged to submit quotes thanking those who purchase organic for helping protect the future. In return, the company will invest in the children’s future: the authors of those quotes chosen to be printed on Earthbound Farm salad labels will be awarded a $500 U.S. savings bond and a $500 donation will be made in their name to an environmental charity of their choice.

“Our decision to switch to post-consumer recycled packaging is one of many steps we have taken on our long journey of challenging the industrial status quo,” said Chad Smith, manager of Earthbound Farm’s sustainability initiatives.

“There are many opportunities to create a larger U.S. market for PCR materials, which is essential to reducing what we’re putting in landfills. We hope that other companies will see the value in adopting packaging solutions with PCR content and that consumers will make the decision to seek out PCR packaging when shopping. Working in tandem these steps will create the manufacturing demand needed for post consumer recycled materials,” he said.