How to Dispose of Songbird Naturals Packaging

At Songbird Naturals, we believe it’s important to be totally transparent about the packaging we use. This allows us to guide our customers in how to dispose of our packaging in the most environmentally sustainable way.

The tables below detail what to do with each element of our packaging when you’ve come to the end of the product. More detailed information can be found further below.

Glass Pots (20g)

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Glass Pot	√
Aluminium Lid	√
Foam Disc inside Lid (made from Expanded Polyethylene [EPE])	√ (Check with Local Authority)

Plastic Pots (350g & 550g)

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Plastic Pot & Lid (made from Polypropylene [PP])	√

EcoTubs (100g, 300g & 600g)

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Cardboard Pot & Lid	√	√	99.5% compostable

Liquiwax Bottles

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Plastic Bottle (made from High Density Polyethylene [HDPE])	√
Plastic Pump Top	Not currently

Labels

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Cardboard Labels on EcoTub Lids	√	√	√
Labels on all Plastic/Glass Pots & Bottles	(See below)

Shipping Packaging

Packaging Element	Recyclable?	Biodegradable?	Compostable?
Cardboard Delivery Box	√	√	√
Paper Parcel Tape	√	√
Corn-Starch Packing Chips		√	√
Paper Invoice/Order Slip	√	√	√

When to Recycle Our Plastic

Our plastic pots are made from Polypropylene (PP) and our plastic Liquiwax bottles are made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Both PP and HDPE are recyclable. However, you will need to check with your Local Authority to ensure they are recyclable in your area. Unfortunately, not all Local Authorities accept them.

As a general guide:

You can recycle PP plastic if your Local Authority mentions: packing tape, plastic straws, plastic takeaway tubs, Ketchup bottles, plastic picnic ware.

You can recycle HDPE plastic if your Local Authority mentions: milk jugs, plastic bottle caps, bleach/detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, margarine tubs.

If your Local Authority does not accept PP or HDPE plastic, you will need to dispose of our plastic pots and bottles in your general household waste bin.

The only non-recyclable plastic packaging we use is the pump tops on our Liquiwax bottles. Unfortunately, these are not currently recyclable so they will need to be disposed of in your general household waste bin.

Disposing of Our EcoTubs

Our EcoTubs (used for our 100g, 300g and 600g waxes and balms) are recyclable and biodegradable, and can be disposed of in your household cardboard recycling waste. Currently, these EcoTubs are 99.5% compostable because they contain a small amount of PVA to prevent leakage (the PVA totals less than 5% of the pot). This does not affect the pot’s recyclable and biodegradable status. Efforts are being made to create a compostable equivalent of PVA, which we hope to utilise in the future.

Our Labels

When you recycle any of our glass pots, plastic pots or bottles, you can usually leave the labels on. The labels will be removed by the recycling plant during the recycling process. If in doubt, check with your Local Authority.

Disposing of Our Packing Chips

The corn-starch packing chips we use when delivering your order look deceptively similar to polystyrene chips. However, they are fully biodegradable and compostable. You can dispose of them by dissolving the chips in water, or adding them to your own home compost.

General Tips for Disposing of Our Packaging

Rinse out all pots and bottles before disposing of them.
Squash the Liquiwax bottles and EcoTubs before disposing of them, so they take up less space when being recycled.
When recycling the plastic pots, keep their lids on so they can be sorted more easily in the recycling plant.

Useful Resources

Recycle Now has an excellent guide to finding out what can be recycled in your local area, as well as information on how to dispose of a wide variety of common household waste.