Recycler - Self Declared is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Multi Sector & Business Standard.
Traders displaying the Recycler - Self Declared declaration are telling you that they will take back leftover product or the packaging for the product they are selling you (and sometimes other similar product packaging too), once you no longer have any use for it. The trader will recycle it into something else themselves to re-sell or re-use it (eg, glass jars or timber), or they might work with a recycling business like TerraCycle or REDcycle to manage recycling that is beyond their own needs.
Recycling or assisting the recycling process is an important contribution to the reduction of waste in our society so when you support businesses who are passionate about recycling, you are supporting less waste.
Recycler - Self Declared sits in the RECYCLER Family, under the Societal Standard: Multi Sector & Business of Ekko Score. One set of Ekko Score points are gathered from each Family.
These are the claimable declarations & certifications under the Societal Standard: Multi Sector & Business. Please note that different certifications and declarations may be relevant to each category.
Yes, where the impact of the claim is similar. This is how it works.
IMPORTANTLY, SELF DECLARATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY CONSUMER LAW. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR BUSINESSES TO MAKE FALSE CLAIMS (INCLUDING IMPLIED CLAIMS IN A CONTEXT LIKE EKKO SCORE).
EVEN IF A PRODUCT HAS A FORMAL CERTIFICATION, THAT CERTIFICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ENTIRE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCT'S MAKE UP.
An example might be a Handmade, Australian, Certified Organic chocolate that contains Palm Oil. Under Ekko Score, this product would claim Certified Organic and would self declare: Recycler and Australian made, but could not claim the No Palm Oil declaration. This would mean a lower score under the No Exploitation Standard, making the inclusion of Palm Oil clear to potential consumers, without detracting from its other assets.
No product is perfect, but some products are definitely better than others. Ekko Score allows you to make the best decision you can, or to put it another way, the least worst decision. And to make that decision with the confidence of not being green washed. Find out more about how Ekko Score works.