Green packaging

Green packaging causes less damage to the environment than other forms of packaging - it is 'environmentally friendly'. There are three types of green packaging:

• Reusable packaging, such as glass bottles, which can itself be cleaned and re-used to store the same food or something else.
• Recyclable packaging, which is made of materials that can be used again, usually after processing, for packaging or some another purpose. Recyclable packaging materials include glass, metal, card and paper.
• Biodegradable packaging, which will easily breakdown and disappear into the soil or the atmosphere, without causing damage.

Packaging that can be recycled should carry standard symbols that tell people what the product is made from and how it can be recycled. The key symbols are outlined in the table below:

Symbols used on recyclable packaging

Please note the green dot does not indicate that the packaging is recyclable. It only denotes that the packaging manufacturer has financially contributed to the cost of recovering and recycling packaging in European countries other than the UK.