Bottled Up: Recycled Plastic

Recycled Plastic and Smaller Sizes

You might have heard us talk about USANA transitioning to using PCR bottles for our supplements. But what does that mean?

For starters, let’s define what post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin is. It’s a material made from recycled plastic, such as water and beverage bottles and other packaging. These items are processed at recycling centers to become pellets of plastic resin ready to be used again—like in our product bottles.

Why Use PCR in Packaging?

It helps the environment! PCR is different from virgin resin, which is made using natural resources and chemicals rather than recycled plastic.

Pros to using PCR:

• Lowers the amount of plastic sent to landfills
• Shrinks our carbon footprint
• Reduces the need to create new plastics from non-renewable petroleum products
• Limits negative effects of plastics on the environment
• Lowers the amount of energy needed to produce new plastics
• Satisfies environmentally conscious customers
• Promotes compliance with industry regulations

How PCR Is Used

Here at USANA we use 25% PCR and 75% virgin resin to manufacture our plastic bottles. This is because the higher the PCR percentage the more it can impact the color of the plastic. By choosing to do 25% PCR, we are still making strides toward our sustainable goals while also maintaining a clean plastic bottle look.

You may have also noticed a size change in some of our bottles. Fourteen of our 30 bottled products have moved to smaller bottles to save plastic. The same goes for the design change in the lid. Simply stamping our globe logo on top of the lid cuts the amount of plastic needed to create each bottle.

All these changes, along with removing the plastic shrink wrap, show our commitment to sustainability not only in our personal lives, but also in the products we make.