Survey finds Americans prefer eco-friendly products

South Korea-based SK Group, a collection of diverse multinational manufacturing and service companies, has released a study that examines American interest in sustainable packaging. The group polled 1,500 U.S. adults in May, according to a news release from the company.

The survey found that while recycling is considered a routine practice for a more sustainable future, only 2in 5 Americans say they are completely confident they are recycling correctly at home. Additionally, nearly 72 percent of Americans are likely to give preference to products that use packaging that can be easily recycled or reused. 

However, 42 percent of respondents said they weren't aware that some recyclable containers, such as plastic bottles, cannot be recycled unless you first remove labeling and other packaging materials. 

“We have a clear opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of product packaging by adopting solutions that make it easier to recycle and reuse materials,” says Bob Cowley, vice president of sales and marketing at SKC Inc., a film producer based in Covington, Georgia, that operates under the SK Group umbrella. “Consumers are hungry for eco-friendly products that reduce waste and lower their carbon footprint. As a responsible packaging manufacturer, our job is to develop recycle-friendly products that break the cycle of single-use plastics and extend the life of packaging.”

Other findings from SK Group’s U.S. sustainable packaging survey include:

• Less than 38 percent of adults say they are completely confident they are recycling correctly at home. 
• When it comes to younger generations, 74 percent of those ages 18-34 say they are likely to purchase one product over another based on it being eco-friendly.
• Across generations, 90 percent of respondents believe that school-aged children should be taught to recycle responsibly.

Cowley says education is the biggest factor in why people fail to recycle. 

“Consumers understand the importance of recycling and the need to reduce single-use containers,” he says. “It’s the knowledge gap in what and how to recycle that we are seeing causes the most issues.”

SK Group, a South Korea-based organization with U.S. operations in more than 10 states, has made sustainability central to its global growth plans. SK companies have made several investments in renewable energy, recycling and advanced semiconductor materials that make electronics more efficient stateside. Among them is Ecolabel, the first shrink-sleeve label developed by SKC that's compatible with the polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, bottle recycling stream.

According to a report from The City College of New York, nearly 300 million tons of solid waste annually are generated in the U.S., with the number continuing to rise as the population grows. The survey identified the desire for education around recycling for young people and clarification on recycling properly.