Packaging Symbols Explained

Packaging has many labels to promote environmental activity. To make sure these claims are accurate, a set of international standards have been developed known as the Green Claims Code.

When we're out and about promoting recycling and composting with Shropshire Master Composters a lot of people ask us about these labels on packaging, so to help you cut through all the green wash and understand them better we have put together a simple guide to the most common labels.
The Recycle Now Swoosh - is a call for action. It is often used for marketing purposes and simply means please try and recycle whenever possible.

The 'International Tidy Man' is the symbol of the ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ campaign.  symbol is regularly seen on packages in the UK. It  is simply to remind people not to litter.   It does not relate to recycling.
This symbol means the product is made from Aluminium and thus can be recycled in an Aluminium recycling facility.
This symbol is often found on the packaging for batteries and electrical items. It simply means that these items are NOT to be disposed of in your general rubbish because they should always be recycled instead.
The British Retail Consortium recycling symbols are now starting to appear on some packaging. They help to identify how different parts of packaging can be recycled. “Widely Recycled” means 65% of people have access to recycling facilities for this. “Check locally” means 15% - 65% of people have access to recycling facilities for this. “Not recycled” means less than 15% of people have access to recycling facilities for this.   Der Grüne Punkt (The Green Dot) is a german logo used across Europe.  It does NOT necessarily mean that the packaging can be recycled or has been recycled. It is used in the EU to show that the manufacturer pays money into the national packaging recycling scheme.
The 'Polymer Identification Code' (PID) is voluntarily used by some parts of the plastics industry.  Each number Identifies the type of plastic. The number relates to the type of plastic, in this case PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate). Glass This is just a polite reminder to please recycle all your glass bottles and jars. Steel (various logos) these all basically just mean that the item can be put in a steel recycling facility. Recycled Newspaper - This logo means the National Association of Paper Merchants certify this is made from a minimum of 75% recycled paper. FSC logo - This means the Forest Stewardship Council certified this wood as coming from sustainable forests. It does not relate to recycling. ‘Mobius Loop’ This means that an object is technically capable of being recycled - not that the object has been recycled or indeed that there is even currently recycling facilities for it. ‘Mobius Loop’ (with percentage).  This shows the percentage of recycled material within the item