Read on a packet of potato chips.

You all know that I am trying to be eco-minded in the things I do. I've even written a series of posts on that very topic.

So I was amused to read the following label written on the side of a packet of Kettle Chips today. I was looking for a symbol to see if I could recycle the packaging and, down at the bottom of the label, in small writing, were the words :

"This package is unfortunately not recyclable yet"

Let's think about this shall we. The company has gone to the trouble of identifying that their packaging cannot go through any recognised recycling process and chose to write that on the side of the packet. But more than that, they've decided to write it in an ambiguous way. The use of the word "yet" at the end is meant to indicate, I am sure, that the company is working on developing packaging that can be recycled (like, say the original Smiths Crisps of years ago...?). But instead the language indicates that if I keep the package long enough, a point will be reached at which it will be able to be recycled.

Presumably they are awaiting some sort of technical innovation that will enable foil lined paper to be recycled?

However in the meantime I shan't be buying any more Kettle Chips.

(which is a shame because they're really, really tasty . . . .)

(c) 2008 Musings Cafe.