How2Recycle links up with software firm Specright

Specright, a Tustin, California-based specification management software provider, has partnered with How2Recycle, the creator of a standardized labeling system for household consumers and municipal recycling program service providers.

The two firms will work together to connect digitized specification data to inform the creation of clear, accurate recycling instructions on packaging across the United States and Canada in an effort to eliminate consumer confusion around recycling, Specright says.

“When it comes to claims around sustainability and recycling it’s critical that companies have the most accurate data, and for that reason, ideally one source of truth for packaging material data,” says Paul Nowak, executive director of GreenBlue, the Virginia-based parent company of How2Recycle.

“We look forward to working with Specright to help harmonize our data into one platform, leading to a positive ripple effect across every organization in the packaging industry."

Specright will deploy its Specification Data Management Platform to help How2Recycle pilot live integrated connections to its platform during the second quarter of this year, following a successful data attribute harmonization phase.

During the pilot, How2Recycle will be able to directly pull in data from Specright, with a goal to minimize quality issues and errors from human entry, eliminate duplicate data entry and aid in reporting while maintaining data security.

“Our partnership promise at Specright is ‘one plus one equals three,’ in the sense that we work better together with all of our partners—together creating more positive change in the world through products and packaging,” says Adam Armstrong, vice president at Specright. “This partnership comes at a time when consumer demand is at an all-time high for more sustainable products and packaging and for education around recycling specifically.”

A recent survey by Specright found 82 percent of U.S. consumers say they are more likely to recycle products if companies and brands include the appropriate steps for how to recycle correctly directly on the product or packaging. More than two-thirds (71 percent) are more likely to believe a company’s sustainability claims if they are printed directly on the product or packaging (i.e., similar to a nutritional label).

“Consumers have a strong desire to make an impact on waste reduction, but without clear instructions on recycling, confusion persists,” Specright founder and CEO Matthew Wright says. “How2Recycle’s mission aligns closely with Specright’s vision of living in a world without waste, and we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them to help companies align their data to provide clear instructions for effective recycling and ultimately more successful sustainability initiatives.”

How2Recycle is a more than 10-year-old program offering packaging labeling instructions. Specright says the program’s mission is to get more materials in the recycling bin by taking the guesswork out of recycling.