Sonos Joins How2Recycle Label for Electronics Packaging

(Photo: Consumer electronics company Sonos joined How2Recycle. Credit: How2Recycle)

Sonos joined the How2Recycle label program this week. The Santa Barbara, California-based consumer electronics company known for smart speakers plans to add labels with straightforward instructions on how to recycle the packaging components.

“Electronics packaging can be complex, given there are often many components made from many different materials,” said How2Recycle project manager Caroline Cox. “Understanding how to properly recycle the package can be confusing, and potentially lead to frustration that results in the package just being thrown away.”

The new labels should help Sonos customers understand how to properly prepare each component of their package for recycling, Cox added.

“We believe that clear labeling will not only increase the rate at which our customers recycle their packaging, it will also be better for the environment,” said Mark Heintz, director of sustainability for Sonos.

The company calls sustainability “non-negotiable,” and has committed to ethical and sustainable practices. A comprehensive program for its facilities aims to minimize energy and water use while maximizing the recycling rate for waste. Sonos asks suppliers to sign a supplier code of conduct based on the Responsible Business Alliance industry standard and performs regular supply chain audits.

For products, Sonos seeks to design products and packaging that have minimal environmental effects.

The company is the latest brand to join the How2Recycle label program, which began in 2008 as a project of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Each label is based on the best availability of recycling data available as well as technical insights from the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Recycled Paperboard Alliance, and other industry experts, according to the organization.

More than 90 companies and thousands of products carry the label. How2Recycle’s extensive list of current members includes Unilever, Walmart, Target, Amazon, Procter & Gamble, SC Johnson, 3M, Johnson & Johnson, the Lego Group, Aldi, Nestlé Waters North America, Method, and Colgate-Palmolive.