How To Make Your Child’s Lunchbox 100% Recyclable

Did you know over 201,474 tonnes of waste is produced by schools each year which could be recycled?  We want to help reduce this number, so here’s how to make your child’s lunch 100% recyclable.

Firstly, invest in a plastic lunchbox rather than a disposable bag or container; as this will instantly help reduce plastic waste.  There are many appealing lunchboxes with your child’s favourite superhero or TV character, and some with compartments to separate snacks – further reducing the need for plastic in the lunchbox.

For some lunchtime snacks, packaging will be unavoidable; however what you can control is the products you buy and how you dispose of them.  The packaging will have the on-page recycling label (or ORPL) printed on it. These labels identify the packaging’s type and if it is recyclable. If the packaging is suitable for recycling, the label also states if it can be put it in your household recycling bin or if you need to take it to a recycling centre.

These packaging symbols indicate the different type of actions to take:

Mobius Loop

The Mobius loop indicates if packaging is suitable to be recycled. On occasion the symbol will show a percentage in the centre to explain how much recycled material the packaging contains.

Find this on: Munch Bunch Squashums

Plastics

This plastics symbol indicates the type of plastic resin that has been used to make the packaging. The ‘Resin Identification Code’ ranges from 1-7 to identify the different types of resin.

Find this on: Robinson’s Fruit Shoots & Walkers Crisps

Tidyman

This symbol does not directly relate to a specific type of packaging; instead it is a reminder to be responsible for your rubbish, disposing of it in the most appropriate manner.

Find this on: Pringles, Frubes & Cadbury’s Animals

Widely Recycled

Packaging that is widely recycled means that over 75% of councils offer residential collection services for that type of packaging.

Find this on: Capri Sun cartons & Ribena Tetra Pak drinks

Not Widely Recycled

For other packaging products, depending on your area, some products are not as widely recycled and so local recycling depots will need to be checked.

Not currently recycled

Other packaging materials, for example some plastics, aren’t currently recycled on a nationwide scale. This symbol is shown when fewer than 20% of UK councils have the correct recycling facilities for a type of packaging.
Not all packaging has a recycling label; however that doesn’t mean it can’t be recycled. Find out what can be recycled in your area using the postcode locator.

We at Wessex Packaging are responsible for the environment too, which is why we ensure our packaging is quality-assured and is ISO 9001 accredited. Where we can, our products are manufactured with due respect for the environment. View our full range of packaging, including bespoke packaging here.