The How2Recycle label introduced by GreenBlue would soon appear on Yoplait yogurt packs, Orville Redenbacher popcorn and Aveda acne pads as part of a pilot program to reduce consumer confusion and to encourage more recycling.
The new label is based on the On-Pack Recycling Label used in Britain and can include up to four icons indicating the degree of recyclability of materials.
It was developed through a partnership of 200 government groups and member corporations with GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition.
Sealed Air is reportedly among the first to use the store drop-off label, while General Mills will use a combination of icons on its Yoplait fridge pack for a six-month test run beginning next month.
Many products are already labeled with a chasing-arrows symbol, meant for recyclers, to indicate that they can be recycled.
General Mills chief sustainability officer Jerry Lynch said there is big scope of communicating recycling information to customers in a simple way.
The firm plans to improve 40% of its packaging footprint by 2015.
Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation said there is much to be done beyond labels to achieve zero waste, and involves requires participation of individuals as well, and hoped the new labeling would bring ease and comfort to the consumer as it displays information about components that can be recycled.
