Channel 4's recent programme, Revenge of the Binmen, is a case in point. In this mainstream TV programme, one ill-informed individual was given the airtime to express his views, potentially undermining government policy and sabotaging public opinion. Yet we heard virtually nothing in the programme from the other side of the argument. Where was the Government minister? Where was the industry spokesperson? It was left to a local authority officer to put the public sector case. The only significant contributor from the service provision side was an engaging, though frequently off-message, dustcart driver.
Peter Mills is the commercial director of composting company, New Earth Solutions.
And this programme was not unusual. Time and time again, we see fundamental industry issues reduced to simplistic and misleading headlines that only tell a small part of the story. Open up any red top newspaper and you'll see them: ‘Scandal of waste sent to Africa'; ‘Chip and bin farce'; ‘Pensioner charged £5 to dispose of two tin cans'.
But this issue is too important to be treated so shabbily. Waste management and recycling, as we all know, is not about petty council rules, targets for targets' sake, ‘bugged bins' or unfair fines, it's about the most important challenge facing our generation, tackling climate change. By failing to get this vital message across, I believe we in the sector are doing a profound disservice, to both the industry and society as a whole.
It's all too easy to blame the media. Of course some elements will sensationalise and simplify the debate. It's up to us as industry professionals to put across our side of the story – with force, accuracy and passion. When we at New Earth Solutions have done this, for instance by hosting a recycling feature for Channel 5 TV, we've found the media only too happy to broadcast positive messages.
As an industry, I believe we need to do some soul searching. We should be flooding the media with examples of success stories. Instead, we are amateurish in bringing our achievements to public notice. Yet you don't have to look hard for good news within our industry: the UK's ever-improving European recycling rates, groundbreaking collaborations like Project Integra in Hampshire and the emergence of innovative resource recovery technology. There are many, many examples like this. Why don't we see these breakthroughs splashed across the front pages of the national press?
I appreciate that some in our industry are hesitant to approach the media. Some because it's not what they are used to doing, but quite a few because they have very little that's positive to shout about. But those of us who have, need to get our acts together and shout it from the rooftops. And I include government bodies in this.
A slick advertising campaign fronted by celebrities once in a while is all very well, but why aren't spokespeople from government agencies like WRAP more consistently prominent in actively putting our case across, as well as responding to misleading media stories?
Where are the charismatic, articulate, inspirational characters who could speak for our industry? Where's our Recycling Tsar? Why don't we see a representative of the recycling and waste management industry facing the audience on the BBC's Question Time, for instance? And, most important of all, where's our Minister for Recycling?
An opportunity to put this right was missed recently. We now have a new Department of Energy and Climate Change, the perfect ministry to be responsible for recycling and waste management, you'd have thought. Yet, our industry still languishes under the auspices of the old DEFRA.
If we don't take every opportunity to bring the real debate to the public, we're never going to win the argument. As an industry, we will remain on the back foot and the public will stay sceptical.
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