Purina’s Sustainable Packaging Innovations
We believe future generations of people and pets deserve safe and healthy spaces to roam and play. There are many ways we can leave our planet better than we found it. One is envisioning a future where none of our product packaging ends up in landfills.
Designing Innovative, Sustainable Packaging
While that’s our ultimate vision, we’re not there yet. So, we’re designing innovative, sustainable packaging and supporting efforts to improve recycling infrastructure so more materials can be recycled.
Designed for Recycling
Today, nearly 90 percent of our plastic packaging in North America is designed for recycling. By 2025, 95 percent of our plastic packaging will be designed for recycling, and we’re actively working to develop sustainable solutions for the balance.
Some of our product packaging has always been recyclable, though: our aluminum and steel wet pet food cans. Aluminum and steel are not only 100 percent recyclable but can also be recycled over and over.
Recycling pet food cans is crucial. Cans created with recycled aluminum reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 95 percent. Recycling your pet food cans makes a big difference!
Incorporating More Recycled Materials
Nearly half our Tidy Cats litter jugs are made with 60 percent post-consumer resin (recycled plastic). And by 2025, we’ll reduce our use of virgin plastics by one-third.
Newly Recyclable Materials
Starting in 2023, some of our small pet food bags are recyclable at store drop-off locations, and in 2024, we will begin transitioning our paper bags to be fully recyclable in single-stream recycling. We’re also developing and testing new treats packaging designed for recycling.
What Does “Designed for Recycling” Mean?
“Designed for recycling” applies to some of our flexible plastic packaging like our large dog food bags. Although these materials can technically be recycled, most single-stream recycling facilities do not have the infrastructure to process those materials, or curbside recycling doesn’t exist. As a result, a large percentage of flexible plastic packaging ends up in landfills. Once the infrastructure is in place, we’ll be ready.
Better Systems
While our ultimate goal is for all our packaging to be recyclable and recycled by pet owners, we must also help increase access to recycling and advocate for a more circular economy. We are helping do that by supporting the efforts of The Recycling Partnership and our retailers, like Walmart, on projects focused on circularity.