The March 24 New York Times carried an article titled “Rethinking Recycling,” which reported on Consumer Packaged Goods companies becoming engaged in the process of the collection of their used containers. Such companies are framing their activities as a response to consumer desires and an attempt to head off onerous legislation that might require container collection.
I think what these CPG companies are doing is a very positive development. It causes manufacturers to review the packaging they use, select materials that can offer recovery value, and establish systems of recovery. It leads them to develop their packaging systems with end-of-life implications in mind. Returnable/refillable systems used in beer kegs, pallets, and bread trays have all emerged from such thinking. The same is true for one-way packages made from recyclable materials.
