New California campaign seeks higher milk jug recycling rates

California's dairy farmers are launching a new public awareness campaign to increase high density polyethylene milk bottle recycling.

Designed to have a simple, straight-forward message, the "Pour it. Cap it. Bin It." campaign seeks to cut through consumer confusion over plastics recycling.

HDPE, which uses the No. 2 resin identification code, is the No. 1 most recycled plastic in the United States. But only about 30 percent of HDPE is captured for reuse.

Bob Carroll, vice president of business development for the California Milk Advisory Board, said there continues to be confusion about plastic recycling in general and HDPE recycling specifically.

The goal of the campaign is to not only increase HDPE milk jug recycling but also close the loop by directing recycled resin to new milk containers, he said.

HDPE along with PET, with the No. 1 resin code, are the two most widely recycled plastics, by far, in the United States. That means plenty of people know their value, but not everyone, Carroll said.

"The average consumer doesn't know that simple message. I think there is work to do across the whole industry to simplify our communication to consumers, to simplify what they are supposed to do to recycle. A simple message, 'Pour it. Cap it. Bin it.' is what we landed on," he said.

Keeping the message simple and direct, he said, is key to creating an effective campaign.

"We created a very simple icon. We learned from a lot of other research and things that other industries have done. There needs to be a really simple call to action. An opportunity for consumers to validate the message," Carroll said.

"We know that at the end of the day all of the messages the consumers are receiving. A message about milk jug recycling isn't going to top the national news story of the day," he said. "So the simpler the message, the better."

The campaign strives to overcome doubt in some consumers' minds about the value of recovered plastics and whether the material actually does get recycled.

"I think to most people, that gives them the confidence that it's not going to end up in the landfill if they put it in their blue recycling bin," Carroll said.

The California Milk Advisory Board is funded by payments made by dairy farmers around the state. The state board is working with its national counterpart, the Milk Processor Education Program, or MilkPEP, to create the campaign. Milk producers in other states are already asking about how they can bring the new campaign to their areas, he said.

The campaign includes a website at www.recyclethejug.com, messaging on packaging and in-store signage. A social media campaign is rolling out using influencers, and digital advertising will then use the most effective influencer posts to further reinforce the message. "We want to see what works and then double down," Carroll said.

While declining to give specifics, he did indicate the campaign is spending several hundreds of thousands of dollars in both creation and execution in California.

"We're committed to this for two years. This sort of consumer behavior takes time. And we're committed to promoting the website and making sure that it's going to be long-lasting and measurable," he said about the expected results.

Even as the California board is unveiling the new campaign, one milk processor already is moving forward with plans to produce what it calls the first post-consumer recycled resin gallon milk jug in the country.

Clover Sonoma of Petaluma, Calif., said the new container for the company's organic milk line will contain 30 percent post-consumer resin. Plans are to increase use of the container across the company's other gallon milk products and increase recycled content by 2025.

"To reach our sustainability goals, packaging innovation is a priority for us as a company," said Clover Sonoma Chief Revenue Officer Kristel Corson said in a statement. "Finding sustainable solutions means taking risks and investing in what's best for the planet. We are focused on improving our packaging across product lines using reusable, recyclable, renewable and environmentally conscious resources."

The first of the new Clover Sonoma recycled-content jugs are slated to hit the shelves during the first quarter of 2022.

The state milk board worked with Package InSight LLC of Clemson, S.C., to survey consumer perceptions of milk jugs in both California and on a national level.

The research showed there continues to be confusion regarding the recyclability of gallon milk containers with "polarizing views if gallon jugs can be recycled." Gallon jugs are perceived to be less recyclable than other options, and their shape and size could be influencing people's views.

A total of 73 percent of respondents in California said they strongly agree, agree or are neutral when asked if gallon milk containers are difficult to recycle. That cumulative number was 57 percent nationally, Package InSight reported.