One of the best ways to be kinder to the environment is to use eco-friendly and sustainable pet products. A great way for dog owners to shop consciously is to buy dog food brands that use recyclable packaging.
Unfortunately, not all dog food bags are recyclable. It depends on the brand and its connection to any recycling programs. Here’s an updated list of brands that use recyclable dog food bags and programs that can help you recycle them.
What Types of Dog Food Bags Are Recycled?
Many dog food bags are not recyclable because they are made of both paper and plastic. To safely preserve food, a lined bag is necessary to retain moisture and leave the food dry and uncontaminated.
However, some recycling plants accept bags that are 100% plastic. Keep in mind that these plastic items usually won’t be picked up through your regular curbside recycling. You need to drop them at the nearest drop site.
Dog food bags made only of paper are also recyclable. If you’re not sure if a pet food bag is made entirely of paper, try tearing it open with your hands. If you can tear it easily, it’s probably just made of paper. Dog food bags with a plastic lining will not tear.
Brands That Use Recyclable Dog Food Bags
Some dog food brands have partnered with recycling organizations to promote sustainable practices. TerraCycle is a recycling company that has partnerships with several dog food brands as follows:
- Earthborn Holistic
- Eukanuba
- Karma Pet Foods
- Chief Challenger
- Open the Farm
- Portland Pet Food Company
- Order
- Of flowers
TerraCycle recyclable dog food bags will have the TerraCycle logo. To participate in TerraCycle’s recycling programs, you will need to create a free online account.
A handful of dog food brands have packaging that is recyclable. Some of these brands are as follows:
- Canidae
- to Hill
- NutriSource Pet Food
- Purine
- Royal Canin
- Stella and Chewy’s
Note that not all recycling plants will accept bags from these dog food brands. Some may automatically pick up these bags on their normal recycling pickup route. Others may request that you drop them off at a separate site. So, it’s best to call your municipality before you put these bags in your recycling bin.
If your current brand of dog food is not on our list, you can always look on the packaging and look for the recycling symbol. Some dog food bags with the recycling symbol may also have the How2Recycle logo. A visit to the website will give you more specific information on how to recycle your specific bag.
Conclusion
The two main ways to recycle your dog food bag are to buy bags from brands that use recyclable materials or join a recycling program, such as TerraCycle. Before you switch dog food brands, be sure to contact your local recycling company to make sure they can recycle the dog food bag.
Many pet food companies are making changes to create more sustainable and recyclable packaging. So, while the options are limited today, we expect more brands to switch to more eco-friendly practices in the next few years.
Featured Image Credit: Caftor, Shutterstock
