Only One in Five People Consistently Recycles Packaging from Products Used in the Bathroom

SKILLMAN, N.J., Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- While 7 out of 10 Americans say they always or almost always recycle, only 1 in 5 consistently recycles bathroom items, according to a report commissioned by the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies.

To help make a difference, the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies launches CARE TO RECYCLE™, a recycling campaign that begins with a gentle reminder to recycle more items from the bathroom.  It is the first recycling awareness campaign of its kind to be hosted exclusively on Tumblr.

The initiative includes a video that site visitors are encouraged to share to help spread the word and show their commitment to recycling in the bathroom, along with a number of highly shareable posts that include helpful information and tips. All are designed not only to help people recognize the many bathroom products that are recyclable, but also to encourage them to take the next step and recycle these items instead of throwing them in the trash.

"Because many of our personal care products are used or stored in the bathroom, we wanted to understand if Americans are recycling there," said Paulette Frank, Vice President, Sustainability for the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies. "After reviewing the results of the research, we saw a very real opportunity to help reduce waste by educating people about recyclable bathroom items. With its active community of highly engaged content seekers, Tumblr seemed like the ideal platform to help spread the word about recycling in the smallest room of the house and how it can make a big difference to our planet."

The market research was conducted by Shelton Group, a sustainability-focused advertising and marketing agency.  The research report concluded that recycling in the bathroom is simply not top of mind for many people. In fact, 40 percent of Americans report recycling no bathroom items at all. Among the reasons cited, 22 percent reported they had never thought about recycling in the bathroom and 20 percent didn't even know that products in the bathroom are recyclable.

The Care To Recycle™ Tumblr site, www.caretorecycle.com, features the "Smallest Room" short video, reminding viewers that one step toward a healthy planet is to recycle in the bathroom. Users are encouraged to share the video at various points on the Tumblr page, which also includes a host of information, tips and resources to be a better bathroom recycler, including which bathroom items can be recycled. All the content is shareable within the Tumblr platform, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.  More content and opportunities for consumer engagement will be progressively added to Tumblr in the weeks and months after launch.

The Care To Recycle™ Tumblr site also includes information and links to the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies' key partners for this campaign including: Recyclebank, where people can earn rewards after learning about recycling; Keep America Beautiful and their America Recycles Day program; Net Impact's Small Steps, Big Wins, where students compete to earn points for recycling bathroom products and other social and environmental actions; and Earth 911, which provides a recycling locator where individuals can find out what they can recycle and where.

"Care to recycle is a gentle reminder to recycle empty containers from the bathroom," said Frank. "We hope it leads to a change in the behavior of throwing recyclable bathroom items in the trash and a greater awareness that we can all contribute to a healthy planet."

About CARE TO RECYCLE™
OUR BABIES WILL INHERIT OUR PLANET®. That is why the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies is committed to taking care of the natural resources we are privileged to use. With 9 billion people in the world by 2050, and natural resources already being consumed faster than the planet can replenish, caring for the planet that cares for us has never been more important. One way we take care of the planet, is to use recyclable materials in our product packaging.  But we need your help to complete the cycle of care by recycling the package when it is empty.

Recycling. Most of us have heard about it. Most of us know it's good for the planet. And chances are, most of us do it. Yet, our research shows that many of us forget to recycle in the bathroom, where many of our personal care products are used. So we thought, why not create a gentle reminder that just might lead to more recycling of items used in the bathroom, which in turn would prevent valuable materials from entering landfills, unnecessarily. 

CARE TO RECYCLE™ is that gentle reminder. Soon, you'll be seeing it on our packaging. And when you come to our CARE TO RECYCLE™ website, you'll find tips and tools to help you be a better recycler.  You'll also find our CARE TO RECYCLE™ video that you can share with your friends and family to help spread the word about recycling in the bathroom. It may be a small act, in a small room but when we combine our acts of care, we can have a big impact, in a big world. Together, we can help create a healthy planet for our babies today, and for generations to come. 

About the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies
Caring for the world, one person at a time…inspires and unites the peopleof the Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies. We embrace research and science–bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people.  The Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies is part of the more than 250 operating companies of Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), working with partners in health care to touch the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Samantha Lucas
Global Issues and Consumer Communications
Johnson & Johnson
slucas12@its.jnj.com
718-715-3359

Edwige Buteau
RF|Binder Partners (for Johnson & Johnson)
Edwige.Buteau@rfbinder.com
212-994-7517 

Video with caption: "While most of us recycle, many of us forget to recycle in the bathroom. Yet, the smallest room in the house can actually make a big difference to the planet. To encourage individuals to recycle items from the bathroom, Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies is launching Care to Recycle™. Share the "The Smallest Room" video and show your commitment to recycling in the bathroom." Video available at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-MM99066-20131017-01.mp4

Image with caption: "Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies CARE TO RECYCLE™ Infographic: Statistics about Recycling Products in the Bathroom in the U.S." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131017/MM99066-a

Image with caption: "Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies CARE TO RECYCLE™ Logo." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131017/MM99066-b

SOURCE Johnson & Johnson Family of Consumer Companies