Understanding the Terms

• Recyclable

  Recycling is an essential step towards a sustainable system. It is the process of taking waste materials such as paper, plastic, glass, or metal, and converting it into reusable materials. Uncoated paper-based products are recyclable, because they can be converted into pulp and used to make paper again and again.

  Surprisingly, many paper-based products commonly thought to be recyclable are in fact unsuitable for recycling. Once a paper-based product is laminated, its fibers can no longer be recycled and the product must be retired to a landfill. Most wax papers, aluminum foil, and packaging cannot be recycled for this reason.

  NoW™ Technology provides a solution to this waste problem by making it possible to recycle laminated paper-based products.

• Biodegradable and Compostable

  There is a lot of confusion in the industry surrounding the terms biodegradable and compostable. Though they appear to be similar concepts on the surface there is a significant difference between them when it comes to pursuing sustainability.

  Biodegradability is a very broad term for decomposition, and products that claim to be biodegradable are not certified or regulated. Compostability is a far superior claim requiring a rigorous testing and certification process. Compostable products are used in soil and fertilizer, and they leave behind no toxic chemicals as they decompose.

  NoW™ Technology makes it possible for paper-based products that use compostable raw materials to become certified compostable.