“Hard-hitting” Welsh recycling campaign launched

And, the Assembly Government has also launched its own campaign which aims to encourage people to reuse carrier bags when shopping in the lead up to Christmas.

The Waste Awareness Wales campaign involves bilingual TV and radio adverts, and features small children who are trying to perform basic recycling tasks but cannot do so without adult help.

Waste Awareness Wales is responsible for encouraging Welsh householders to reduce, reuse and recycling to meet the Assembly Government's landfill diversion and recycling goals, and he campaign aims to show that, by carrying on as a 'throw away' society, householders' are destroying their children's future.

Step change

The head of the body, Owain Griffiths, explained that the new campaign, which was developed by the Cardiff office of communications agency Golley Slater, represented a step change from the “gentle encouragement” of its earlier advertising campaigns.

“Now is the time to adopt stronger and more hard-hitting messages to try and engage those who are not yet involved. We all need to accept that we have all have a role to play in reducing waste and lessening the effects of climate change for the benefit of future generations,” he said.

In particular, Waste Awareness Wales has pointed towards the fact that, while 98% of Welsh households receive a recycling collection, only 50% take part.

Mr Griffiths explained: “Local authorities across Wales are now rolling out measures such as food waste collection services which should encourage people to reduce and recycling more of their household waste, but these schemes only work if people take part.

“We really need to hit the message home that it is everyone's responsibility to make sure we are not sending unnecessary waste to landfill,” he added.

The campaign was endorsed by Welsh environment minister Jane Davidson, who stressed the importance of convincing householders that their efforts to reduce and recycling were making a difference.

“Separating your waste at home is not a worthless task but one that has a real and positive impact on the world,” she added.

Bags

Ms Davidson also spoke in support of the Assembly Government's own advertising push in relation to single-use bags, which was launched today as part of the 'Get Carried Away' campaign.

The seasonal initiative, which is being run as part of a WAG 'Help Wales reduce its carbon footprint' campaign, will involve radio and outdoor advertising, including bus and shopping centre adverts, with the aim of getting people to reuse bags when they are shopping.

Earlier this month, the Assembly Government revealed it planned to introduce a mandatory charge on single-use carrier bags (see letsrecycle.com story) and, commenting on the campaign, Ms Davidson said: “The idea is to change people's behaviour ahead of our plans to introduce a charge on all single use carrier bags by early 2011.

She added: “Customers have come to expect free plastics bags at checkouts, but the tide appears to be turning as we all look for more environmentally-friendly options.”