How2Recycle Labels Explained: What Foodservice Packaging Buyers Must Verify Before Printing Disposal Instructions

Consumers increasingly expect recyclability claims on packaging to be truthful, and regulators are catching up. How2Recycle (H2R) is the most recognized on-pack recycling labeling system in North America, built to standardize and clarify disposal instructions for consumers while reducing greenwashing. This article explains what How2Recycle is, how its labels are structured, how the system assesses whether a package is genuinely recyclable, what testing may be required, and how California's Truth in Labeling Law (SB 343) is reshaping labeling eligibility. For foodservice packaging buyers, it also covers the practical question at the heart of most sourcing projects: what verifiable material information and artwork guidance a packaging supplier can provide, so you can avoid printing disposal instructions or environmental claims that don't apply in your local market.

Over the past decade, consumers have become far more attentive to the environmental impact of the products and packaging they buy — and far more skeptical of the systems that manage that impact. Headlines about recycling contamination, plastic pollution, and waste exports have eroded public trust in recycling. As awareness grows, so does the demand for clarity. People don't just want to buy products that claim to come in recyclable packaging; they want to trust that the packaging is truly recyclable and will actually be recycled.

This sentiment is now reflected in legislation. Several states have passed extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging, which shift more of the financial and operational responsibility for end-of-life treatment onto the companies that produce the packaging while also funding improved recycling infrastructure. Alongside those, California passed the Truth in Labeling Law, SB 343, which restricts when brands can use the word "recyclable" and the chasing-arrows symbol. Together, these frameworks aim to improve the waste management system and rebuild consumer confidence in recyclability claims.

How2Recycle (H2R) was created in 2008 as a project of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) and its parent nonprofit GreenBlue, after they identified the need for an accurate, consistent on-package labeling system. It officially launched in 2012 and has since grown into the most recognized on-pack labeling system for disposal instructions in North America, with hundreds of member companies and thousands of certified SKUs.

At its core, H2R exists to give consumers clear, standardized, and vetted recycling instructions directly on the package. It is a membership-based system: brand owners and retailers pay an annual fee that lets them place an H2R label on a product once that product has been properly tested and vetted for recyclability.

If you shop for packaged food in North America, you have likely seen H2R labels. The older "Legacy" labels feature a chasing-arrows symbol in the center, disposal instructions at the top, and a material classification at the bottom. Some labels also carry special instructions such as "Check Locally*" or "Store Drop-off."

The newer "Pro" labels look noticeably different. One of the biggest changes is that most labels have moved away from the chasing-arrows symbol. This shift was largely driven by California's Truth in Labeling Law, which prohibits packaging from carrying the chasing-arrows symbol (even crossed out) unless it has been proven to be "widely recyclable." In California, unless a product meets the state's standards for recyclability, it can no longer be labeled with the chasing arrows or the word "recyclable." To stay compliant, materials that don't meet those standards are now labeled with symbols and instructions telling consumers whether to throw an item away, take it to a store drop-off, or check local guidelines. All of the new labels also place the material classification at the top and add custom instructions for proper recycling at the bottom — for example, removing a component before discarding.

Every packaging product that receives an H2R label goes through an individualized assessment based on detailed packaging specifications submitted through the member platform. Each assessment is built on five pillars that together define recyclability: applicable law, collection, sortation, reprocessing, and end markets.

Applicable law. The system is designed to comply with U.S. and Canadian guidance, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Green Guides and Competition Bureau Canada guidance, which set out when it is legal to use terms such as "recyclable." H2R has also adjusted its system to comply with state laws, especially California's SB 343.

Collection. H2R validates whether a particular packaging format is actually collected in practice. In the U.S., its acceptance data draws heavily on The Recycling Partnership's National Recycling Database, which covers over 9,000 community recycling programs. In the U.S., a packaging type accepted by programs serving at least 60% of the population is considered "widely recyclable"; formats accepted by programs serving 20%–60% are limited to a "Check Locally" label; and formats accepted by fewer than 20% of programs automatically receive a "Not Yet Recyclable" label.

In Canada, H2R follows a similar methodology using sources such as CM Consulting's reports. Canadian formats must reach at least 50% collection to be "Widely Recyclable," 20%–50% for "Check Locally," and anything below is "Not Yet Recyclable." One notable difference: film packages that carry a "Store Drop-off" label in the U.S. are considered widely recyclable in Canada.

Sortation. H2R also considers how successfully a material can be sorted at a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), based on size, shape, and physical attributes. The more reliably a format can be sorted, the more likely it ends up in a clean bale that can be sold to an end market.

Reprocessing and end markets. Finally, H2R looks at what happens after the MRF: how successfully materials can be reprocessed into new products, and whether viable end markets exist in terms of demand, scale, and value.

Taken together, these considerations determine the right label for a product. H2R also assigns each complete package an overall recyclability category — "optimally recyclable," "recyclable but needs improvement," or "partially recyclable or not yet recyclable" — and gives members feedback on what to improve. For plastic packaging, H2R relies heavily on the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Design Guide and testing protocols, and recommends that companies pursue APR Design for Recyclability Recognition for eligible plastic packages.

Before submitting a package for approval, it's important to know that some packaging types require additional testing to receive a more favorable label. Without the right tests, a package may receive a conservative label (such as "Check Locally" instead of "Widely Recyclable") — or H2R may decline to provide a label at all. The most common testing requirements apply to fiber-based packaging, PE film, and rigid plastics.

Fiber-based packaging. Some rigid and flexible fiber-based packages may require technical recyclability testing to be eligible for a more favorable label, and H2R may decline to label flexible paper innovations at all without testing. Attributes that often trigger testing include plastic laminates and coatings; foil and metallization; repulpable, sealable, and other coatings; and non-wood alternative fibers such as bagasse and bamboo. Fiber-based packages generally go through the Fibre Box Association's recyclability testing (repulpability and recyclability) at an approved partner lab. Importantly, packaging must be tested as it would enter the recycling stream — in the same format, including all print and decoration, that the consumer receives.

PE film. PE films with attributes such as metallized layers, barrier layers (PP, nylon, EVOH), barrier or innovative coatings, or multiple functional layers may require testing to be eligible for a "Store Drop-off" label, typically via APR's Critical Guidance Protocol for Polyethylene Films.

Rigid plastics. Rigid plastic articles with scavengers, barriers, fillers, or functional additives may require testing. HDPE or PP containers with fillers that raise resin density into a certain range may require APR's sink-or-float evaluation, which can be done in-house.

Keep in mind that some structures may not require testing if they already hold APR Recognition or have been pre-qualified with H2R.

To be eligible for an H2R label, a company must first be an H2R member. Membership fees vary by company size and whether the company is a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Members can then submit products for approval and labels through the membership portal.

Two pathways are worth understanding. Pre-qualification letters are provided to material manufacturers and converters for eligible packages upon request. They are not certificates and don't guarantee a specific H2R label for finished products, but they serve as useful guidance tools that help brands understand whether a package could be recyclable before investing in full packaging development. Pre-qualification letters are intended for base materials (films, paper substrates, and similar) or complete, unbranded packages.

Product labels, by contrast, are only granted to finished products. Usually the brand whose product goes into the packaging submits the request for a label. When submitting, the member enters detailed packaging information: brand and SKU context, full component specifications (primary material and resin, layer structure, closures, labels, inks, coatings, adhesives, and any available test data). H2R then evaluates the packaging against its Guidelines for Use, assigns the correct recyclability designation, and generates final artwork for the Pro label that the member can download and send to packaging suppliers or printers.

Because label requests are structure-specific, brands generally need one label request per unique packaging structure rather than per marketing SKU. If multiple SKUs use the exact same packaging format, materials, and components, they can usually share a single label request. But meaningful structural differences that affect recyclability — different materials, closures, barriers, films, or added components — require separate submissions.

In 2021, California passed SB 343, the "Truth in Labeling Law," governing when it is legal to call an item "recyclable" and to use the chasing-arrows symbol. To use recyclability instructions or the chasing arrows, a packaging type must actually be accepted by at least 60% of statewide recycling systems. This means that some common formats, such as flexible films that aren't widely accepted by curbside programs, can no longer carry the word "recyclable" or the chasing arrows. In practice, SB 343 becomes enforceable on October 4, 2026.

This law drove two major changes at H2R. First, it was a key reason the system evolved to its new Pro labels, which removed the chasing arrows from all labels except the "widely recyclable" designation. Second, in response to CalRecycle's Material Characterization Study, H2R announced it is downgrading several packaging formats from "Widely Recyclable" to "Check Locally" status because they don't reach the 60% access threshold. The takeaway for buyers is straightforward: a packaging format that doesn't qualify as recyclable under California's law will no longer be eligible for a "Widely Recyclable" label within the H2R system.

For buyers sourcing foodservice packaging, the labeling rules above translate into a practical checklist. Before you commit artwork with disposal instructions or environmental claims, confirm with your supplier what can actually be backed up:

• Material and coating specifications. Ask for the primary material, resin type, layer structure, and any coatings, barriers, inks, or adhesives in the package. These details drive recyclability assessment and label eligibility more than anything else.
• Whether claims are applicable in your destination market. Collection rates and labeling eligibility differ between the U.S. and Canada, and even between states. A format that is "widely recyclable" in one region may only qualify for "Check Locally" — or no label at all — in another.
• Available documentation. Depending on the SKU, quantity, destination market, and the specific claim category, a supplier may be able to provide documentation relevant to food contact, chain-of-custody (such as FSC), recycled content (such as GRS), origin, or compostability. The key is to confirm the document scope for each order rather than assume it covers an entire product line.
• Artwork and layout guidance. Before printing, align your artwork with the label structure requirements — the correct placement, material classification, and any custom disposal instructions — so you don't print a label that doesn't match the package's actual recyclability profile.

The How2Recycle system plays a vital role in today's packaging landscape by bringing clarity, credibility, and consistency to recyclability claims — needs that have only grown with evolving consumer expectations and regulatory pressure. Its structured label review process ensures each package is assessed on material composition, collection access, sortation behavior, reprocessing pathways, and end-market viability. That rigorous evaluation helps brands avoid greenwashing while empowering consumers to make informed disposal decisions.

For foodservice packaging buyers, the practical message is that accurate labeling starts with accurate information upstream — knowing the exact material structure of the package, confirming what documentation is available for your SKU and destination market, and aligning artwork with the correct label format before anything goes to print.

If you're sourcing foodservice packaging and want to work with a supply chain partner that can discuss material specifications, confirm documentation scope by SKU, quantity, destination, and claim category, and align printed artwork before production, TakeawayPack is a global foodservice packaging supply chain partner serving international buyers across North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Their online catalog covers cups, bowls, boxes, containers, trays, lids, bags, and cutlery, and their RFQ process captures the details — product category, material, size, quantity, printing and logo customization, and destination — that matter for getting claims and labeling right. Learn more at TakeawayPack.