Hooray! Packaging is on its way to recycling!
We are thrilled to announce that the Flex Forward Recycling Pilot program is close to reaching their goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of empty pet food and treat bags. And, the first load of packaging collected is on its way to the recycler for its first round of recycling trials!
Thank you so much to all of you who have participated and brought your empty bags to Pet Pros or other participating retailers. We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response – you are helping to make this happen! Check out the bundles all wrapped up and ready for transport!
So, now that the first phase is wrapping up, what comes next?
- Collection of empty pet food and treat bags will be paused at the end of February
- The recycling testing will begin! The recycler will grind down the packaging into pellets that can be re-crafted into usable pet products
- The products will be tested for safety and then will be donated to animal shelters and rescue groups. How cool is that?
- The process will be studied before Phase 2 begins
Why is this pilot so important?
The Pet Sustainability Coalition estimates that 99% of all pet food and treat bags end up in recycling – an estimated 300 million pounds of bags in the US alone. That is a lot! They have a goal to improve the sustainability of pet product packaging and reduce the bags going into landfill. The pilot is a first step towards identifying a viable industry solution.
We are grateful to the industry leaders who are driving this collaborative initiative to make a difference: program sponsor, Earth Animal, The Pet Sustainability Coalition, Pet Food Experts Distribution, recyclers, US-based manufacturers, retailers, and pet parents.
To learn more about the Flex Forward program, please see our earlier post, the Flex Forward Recycling Pilot FAQs or talk with any of our team members. And, stay tuned for updates as the testing gets underway!