Sustainability & Recycling

The Environment is Essential for All of Us.

At Codeage, we are committed to reducing and minimizing the impact that our activities and products can have on the environment. We have a strong belief in the need to evolve our ways of living and to undertake the necessary efforts to contribute to the sustainability of our planet. This profound shift is a work in progress and leads us to implement sustainable solutions that can have a meaningful and material impact on the environment.

In this guide, we will explain some of the measures we are currently implementing, some of the current limitations we are facing, our future plans, and activities you could do to help us make the world better for all.

Our Current Products Packaging.

At present, the majority of our containers are composed from High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE). HDPE is a thermoplastic polymer and is used in a wide variety of products and other applications throughout the world. Some of the advantages of these types of containers are the strength, shelf life, and the temperature resistance they can provide which is of the utmost importance in order for us to be able to ensure that our supplements and all of our other products are safe from the point of production to the point of consumption.

The Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI) has identified HDPE as having an SPI code 2, indicating that it is commonly recycled and accepted at most recycling centers throughout the world. HDPE is considered to be one of the easiest plastic polymers to recycle. HDPE containers can generally be recycled entirely and transformed into other HDPE containers. You can learn more here about plastics and SPI codes by numbers to understand what the different SPI code numbers mean on similar containers.

From some of our products, we may use slightly larger containers than the volume the actual product represents inside. There are several reasons for that. Larger canister may be necessary during the filling or production process. The content in the canister might settle down after filling. Or we might also have to follow specific label regulations that might require slightly larger containers that what would ideally be needed. We always try to find different containers to try to minimize these aspects of the production cycle.   

Our Mailers.

Whenever we ship an order, we use a mailer or envelope to protect our product(s). We are upgrading most of our mailers to cornstarch for the lining and bubbles used to protect the shipment. We are also moving to kraft paper for the outside of the envelope instead of traditional paper. These new materials are more compostable and can help reduce our use of traditional plastics.   

Our Future Developments.

Today, most of the existing biodegradable and compostable containers we have been able to identify have an approximate shelf life of only 6 months. Since some of our products have a 3 year shelf life, and others contain up to 6 months supply, this would lead to a poor experience for our customers and a significant decrease in product quality and safety. Moreover, compost materials may also start to degrade under certain conditions including, but not limited to, the following: (i) high humidity or moisture; (ii) high soil temperatures; and (iii) exposure to certain microorganisms.

Upon delivery, our packages are also often left outside and can be subjected to harsh climatic conditions (heat, humidity, or severe cold weather for example). Therefore, we need to consider these factors when sourcing the right packaging with sustainable raw materials, as our packages contain nutritional dietary supplements that our customers ingest. The quality and safety of our products is of the utmost importance.

We are currently developing alternatives which either: (i) contain a larger percentage of post-recycled materials, or (ii)  are even more recyclable and could be disposed of in any recycling processing facility. We are also working with partners to offer solutions in the unfortunate instance that a container is not recycled – and finds its way into a park or the ocean – so that it would begin to bio-assimilate or degrade within one (1) year. As previously stated, this is still a work in progress. Whenever we can implement sustainable improvements to our eco-friendly process, we do so without further delay.  

We are also constantly exploring new options such as recycle or post-recyclable bags to store certain formulas. We closely monitor new innovations in packaging technology to offer us even better options down the road. We will continue to evolve our packaging and sourcings options as we find the right balance between enduring quality and sustainability. 

What You Can Do to Help Today.

With respect to all of our HDPE containers, you can - and should - recycle them after use. Make sure to place them in the correct garbage can, or, if feasible, please drop them off at your local grocery store or other recycling drop-off locations. You can search here for some of the closest drop-off locations available to you in the United States. The same process might be slightly different in different regions throughout the world, but most countries today offer options to help you recycle your HDPE containers. 

Outside of the scope of Codeage, and as a citizen of the world and consumer, you should keep in mind that not everything is recyclable. It it important for all of us to become more conscious consumers and find ways to reuse some of the items we buy. By making a statement with the way we consume, we can help accelerate the need for companies, including Codeage, to shift towards more greener options. You can read more about recycling at this Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website.

A Long Road Ahead.

As a company, we are conscious that making an impact to how we care and treat our planet needs to be a continuous goal, which, in turn, requires perpetual progress from us and our partners. We are also aware that the road to get to a better place for the world is a long one. As more scientists understand the impact of different human activities on our planet and technological advancements allow for smarter solutions, we will consistently strive to make the right adjustments to our processes, our products, and to the impact we have on the communities we work with. Being environmentally responsible is critical for us, and we will do our best to contribute and even educate others of the importance of the moment for the planet.

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