The world's largest bottled water company has started using the How2Recycle label on all the company's half-liter bottles for major brands in the United States.
Nestlé Waters North America own several well-known U.S. brands, including Poland Spring, Deer Park, Ice Mountain, Zephyrhills, Ozarka, Arrowhead and Nestle Pure Life.
Use of the How2Recycle label has been growing substantially, and the adoption by Nestlé Waters North America means millions and millions of additional water bottles will now support the information.
"Our goal has been to find a compelling and simple way to educate and encourage all Americans to recycle the bottle," said Nelson Switzer, chief sustainability officer at Nestlé Waters North America, in a statement.
"By adopting the How2Recycle label, millions of consumers will now have a clear and consistent recycling guide on the side of the bottle — driving recovery of the bottle and a reduction in environmental impact," Switzer continued.
The company also encouraged other packaged goods makers to adopt the labeling standard created by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition in 2012.
The coalition reports the How2Recycle label is now being used by more than 65 brands and retailers that create thousands of products.
"We cannot overstate the environmental importance of the 'Empty & Replace Cap' instruction on these bottles; it means fewer loose caps will have the potential to get into our waterways and oceans," says Kelly Cramer, leader of the How2Recycle effort at SPC, said in a statement.
"It also helps ensure that the caps will be recycled. That's because when caps are replaced on bottles that go through the recycling stream, it's less likely that they will fall through recyclers' equipment and be discarded," she continued.
The recycling industry, for years now, has been promoting a "caps on" message to consumers to overcome previous instructions that told consumers to remove closures before recycling. Modern recycling techniques typically now allow for those caps to remain.
Nestlé Waters expects the How2Recycle label will be on all major brands by September. More information about the label is available at www.How2Recycle.info.