Is Smallbatch packaging recyclable?Updated an hour ago

Our packaging isn’t recyclable through most curbside programs right now. Whether it can be recycled ultimately depends on your local municipality, and packaging that has held meat is one of the harder categories for most programs to accept.

Why our packaging is hard to recycle

• Food safety comes first. Whether it’s frozen raw, lightly cooked, or freeze-dried, our packaging has to protect the food inside. Frozen bags need to resist punctures and hold up in the freezer. Freeze-dried bags need a strong barrier against oxygen and moisture to keep food shelf-stable and fresh. Meeting those standards usually takes multiple bonded layers of material, which most recycling facilities can’t separate.
• Flexible plastics aren’t widely accepted. Most curbside programs don’t take soft or flexible plastic packaging, even when it’s clean.
• Food residue is a contaminant. Packaging that has held meat, whether raw, cooked, or freeze-dried, can carry residue even after rinsing. Many facilities reject it to protect the rest of the recycling stream.

What should I do with my empty bags?

Check your city or county’s recycling guidelines, usually on the local government or waste management website, to see what’s accepted in your area. If flexible plastic packaging isn’t accepted locally, empty bags should go in the trash.