Nestlé Purina PetCare is rolling out the #PurinaRecyclesChallenge, an initiative urging consumers to recycle their aluminum and steel pet food cans. The campaign encourages pet owners to make the recycling bin, not the trash can, the destination for used pet food containers.
The Can Manufacturers Institute reveals that the pet food industry consumes approximately 7 million metal food cans each year. About 25% are steel, predominantly for dog food, while 75% are aluminum, mainly for cat food. Despite being infinitely recyclable, there’s room for improvement in their recycling rates, especially among pet owners.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency‘s 2019 American Community Survey, roughly 32% of Americans practice recycling. Additionally, the US Energy Information Administration asserts that using recycled aluminum cans for new production requires a staggering 95% less energy than manufacturing from raw materials.
Gopi Sandhu, Purina’s Vice President of Environmental Sustainability, stated, “We launched the #PurinaRecyclesChallenge to show just how easy it is to make an impact, and to help break down some of the barriers that keep people from recycling their pet food cans. Aluminum and steel are infinitely recyclable, and given the billions of cans produced in the United States each year, a seemingly small act of recycling can make a big difference.”
The challenge invites pet owners to capture a “trick shot” of them skillfully depositing a pet food can into the recycling bin, then share it on Instagram and/or TikTok with the hashtag #PurinaRecyclesChallenge. For each original post, the company pledges a $10 donation, and for every like, share, or comment on these posts, a $1 donation, all going to The Recycling Partnership to support recycling education and infrastructure nationwide.
The campaign will be active until December 15.
In addition to this can recycling initiative, Purina has engaged to enhance packaging sustainability across its entire range of products. Currently, nearly 90% of its plastic packages for pet food are designed for recyclability, a figure they aim to increase to 95% by 2025.
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