Seventh Generation Packaging Contains 96% PCR Content

Raising the bar in eco-friendly plastic packaging, Seventh Generation has launched new packaging for its environmentally-friendly products that feature 96-percent post-consumer recycled (PCR) content. Developed by Seventh Generation in collaboration with its packaging partner, Consolidated Container Company, the new packaging is made of resin derived from recycled milk jugs and other plastic bottles.

The maker of non-toxic household and personal care products says this is a quantum leap over the 25-percent recycled content typically found in plastic packaging.

“For many years we’ve bemoaned the fact that our products were great for the Earth, but our packaging really wasn’t,” says Peter Swaine, Seventh Generation’s director of Global Strategic Sourcing, in a statement. “It took a while to engineer, but we’ve proven to a skeptical industry that you can make a bottle that meets both high performance and top environmental standards.”

The new packaging, featured in Seventh Generation’s Dish Liquid and Fabric Softener, joins other high-PCR content bottles in Seventh Generation’s roster of products, including its 80-percent PCR 150 oz. Concentrated Laundry Liquid container. These bottles are made from HDPE (#2) plastic instead of PETE (#1) because manufacturing HPDE resin produces 42 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than PETE, according to Seventh Generation.

The company says if every household replaced just one virgin plastic 25 oz. bottle of dish liquid with Seventh Generation’s 96-percent PCR bottle, the U.S. would save over 8,600,000 lbs of plastic and prevent the release of more than 23,500,000 lbs of greenhouse gases.

Click here for a video about the new packaging.

Food and beverage companies like Naked Juice already are making the switch to higher PCR content plastic packaging. Naked Juice initially unveiled its 100-percent PCR reNEWabottle in 2009 for its 32-oz. bottles.

Earthbound Farm also is adopting 100-percent PCR PET packaging.