Pringles rethinking can design after deemed recycling ‘nightmare’

The company that makes Pringles is testing new packaging in an effort to make it easier to recycle.

Kelloggs may be redesigning the iconic Pringles can. The current design is made from at least three materials, including a plastic cap, a metal base, foil-lined cardboard sleeve and metal lid. The different materials make it a challenge to separate efficiently, according to BBC. The company says that the classic design keeps the chips fresh and minimizes waste.

The CEO of the UK Recycling Association, Simon Ellin, described the old design as a nightmare.

“Number One recycling villain. These things are a... nightmare. Impossible to separate the parts,” Ellin told BBC.

A new design, which is currently being tested in the United Kingdom, would be 90% paper with a plastic barrier to prevent air and moisture from getting to the chips.

The trial includes two different lids, one made of recyclable paper and the other made from plastic. Both would still “pop” according to BBC.

The test will run for six weeks, Kelloggs told CNN.

“We are eager to play our part and reduce our impact on the planet. And Pringles fans expect that of us too. So, we’ve worked hard to come up with this new can, which is widely recyclable and keeps our chips fresh and tasty and protects them from breaking up -- which helps to reduce food waste,” Miranda Prins, Pringles vice president, said in a news release obtained by CNN.

If the trial is successful, it will be rolled out to other parts of Europe and beyond, according to NS Packaging.

Kelloggs says it hopes to make all its packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by the end of 2025.

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