In our recent research project (see letsrecycle.com story), we asked people to give reasons as to why they don’t recycle their plastics, and some of the answers given can offer some insight into the issue of contamination in recycling. If people are confused it not only increases their chances of making the wrong choice about what to recycle, but also about how they present items for recycling.
‘Consistency’ is a common theme in the feedback received from consumers and industry alike, and there has been much strategy, dialogue and work looking at households being able to recycle the same core set of materials, using the same collection methods and containers … which is all positive – but it needs to move faster. There also remains many opportunities around plastic pots, tubs and trays, which Recoup are looking at in 2017.
Let’s not get too downbeat though. Recycling levels in 2000 had just come out of single digit figures, and are now at nearly 44%. But something isn’t working – communication messages or service delivery information are either not being delivered, being understood, or simply not of interest to a significant proportion of the public.
Collection
The effect of Brexit, austerity measures in government spending through local authority budgets, and the future strategic direction about how the collection and recycling system could be funded is unclear. What is clear is the need to maximise the use of schemes that are working effectively, and the research confirms the On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) scheme continues to be widely known and used scheme. This should provide confidence for brands and retailers not using the scheme to adopt this labelling on their UK packaging to help their consumers to recycle.
Environmental terminology is moving on and there are increasingly more words and terms being used, and the research also confirms some interesting findings. As much as 90% of consumers in the online survey hadn’t heard of the term ‘circular economy’, although this was lower (63%) in the face-to-face survey that took place in Peterborough. Could this increased awareness be due to Peterborough being a ‘Smart City’, with local media covering this status and the Circular Economy? It is difficult to know, but it is these type of local initiatives that can spread the word to grow and engage with consumers and businesses alike.
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