Tag: recycling

Careless recycling leading to MORE rubbish in landfill

· As Brits admit to using 242 plastic bottles and more than 100 coffee cups each year, DS Smith exposes the confusion in recycling.

· A survey revealed 30% of recycled waste goes in the wrong bin.

· To combat this, DS Smith has announced its Circular Design Principles to help companies design reuse and recyclability into their packaging.

New research from sustainable packaging leader DS Smith has showed that the average Briton gets through 242 plastic bottles, 109 coffee cups and 209 crisp packets each year.

We will also bin 378 snack wrappers, 251 cans, and 374 cardboard boxes or paper packets annually. The study also found it’s not just food and drink packaging piling up, as the UK will collectively throw away 468 million spray bottles from cleaning products and 520 million shampoo bottles every year.

The figures also show that 83% of Brits are not clear which of these types of items can and can’t be recycled. Indeed, the average Brit admits to throwing 30% of their recyclable material into general waste, potentially costing the economy more than £95m each year.

This lack of clarity hasn’t gone unnoticed and this week DS Smith announced its Circular Design Principles to help companies design reuse and recyclability into their packaging so that it becomes easier for customers to become part of a circular economy. The principles have been developed in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a global thought leader on the circular economy.

Risk-averse recycling

The figures show that when unsure about whether a package can be recycled, over four in ten (44%) Brits say they prefer to ‘play it safe’ and place their packets in the general waste bin.

A total of 56% of Brits admitted that they had put things in general waste they thought could be recycled, with 32% of these saying they did so because the label was unclear.

Experts at leading sustainability packaging brand DS Smith have labelled these people ‘risk-averse recyclers’ and highlighted that their desire to not contaminate recycling waste could mean that 2.6m tonnes of recyclable materials could be going to landfill each year.

Stefano Rossi, Packaging CEO, said, “There is an undeniable desire from the public to help with the climate crisis, but a lot of packaging is still not recyclable, and people are confused about what packaging goes into which bin.

“We have launched our Circular Design Principles to help companies evolve to meet the needs of the public. By introducing this set of principles, we can design for recyclability, design out waste and pollution, create packaging suited to a circular economy and make it easier to provide labelling to help consumers recycle more.”

Wish-cyclers

At the other end of the spectrum are ‘wish-cyclers’: the 30% of people who, faced with uncertainty over whether their boxes, bottles and containers can be recycled, put them in the recycling bin and hope for the best.

More than half (51%) admitted to putting things in the recycling that can’t be recycled, and among those, 44% said it was because they didn’t know where else it should go, and 21% because they were hopeful the packaging would get a second chance and recyclers would put it in the right bin.

More than a third (37%) said that they’ve even put something in the recycling bin that still has food and drink on it – which will contaminate the recycling.

Some of this could be attributed to laziness: 16% have put general waste into the recycling because it was easier and more than a quarter (27%) have done so because they weren’t paying attention. What’s more, around a fifth (19%) Brits confessed that they rarely or never check labels before putting an item in the recycling.

A lack of clarity

However, what’s clear is both wish-cyclers and risk-averse recyclers are suffering from the same core problems – unclear recycling rules and unclear recycling information on packaging.

More than half of all those surveyed said the recycling information on packaging is unclear (56%) and almost a third (32%) said there was no clear recycling label to follow. Further to this, a fifth (21%) reported that they are uncertain about the recycling rules where they live with a similar number (23%) admitting they don’t know which recycling bins to put rubbish in in the first place.

In addition to making recycling clearer, DS Smith’s Circular Design Principles have been developed to design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. A circular economy model benefits the environment and can drive growth for the packaging industry.

DS Smith’s five Circular Design Principles are:

1. We protect brands and products – Designers must always ensure that packaging successfully protects its product. Damaged products from poor packaging have an economic and environmental impact

2. We use no more materials than necessary – Optimised use of packaging materials saves resources and reduces waste

3. We design for supply cycle efficiency – Our designers drive efficiency by changing the layout of products within boxes for stacking in delivery vehicles

4. We keep packaging materials in use – We eliminate waste by keeping packaging products in use for as long as possible. We can ‘close the loop’ for customers in 14 days by recycling packaging into new products

5. We find a better way – We empower our designers to challenge the status quo and support customers in the drive for a circular economy

Kerbside glass recycling collections resume next week

Kerbside glass recycling collections will resume next week after being suspended under changes to help the city respond to the coronavirus outbreak.

We’ll begin collecting blue boxes for glass recycling from Tuesday, 28 April, returning to usual fortnightly collection schedules.

The service was stopped in March to help prioritise resources for other essential bin collections while enabling waste collection crews to observe social distancing guidelines.

Following the return of several team members from absence, as well as the bedding in of new collection arrangements, we will be able to reintroduce kerbside glass recycling collections.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We’ve been working extremely hard to deliver essential services with as little disruption as possible during this challenging time, so I’m pleased that we’ll be able to reintroduce these collections after a short break.

“It’s with thanks to the hard work and dedication of crews that we can do this, as well as continuing normal collections for most bins, so I’d like to recognise their efforts over recent weeks. This contribution has been crucial to keeping the city moving and helping residents to adjust to this unprecedented situation.

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “This is a particularly unsettling time and I’d like to thank residents for their patience during the changes we’ve had to make.

“It’s been heartening to see so many people looking out for one another and I hope they’ll be able to continue checking on neighbours and family and offering to put bins out for anyone who is unable or might be self-isolating.

“We’d also urge residents to only put out one box at a time, with boxes only filled to the top, and store any excess glass for their next collection, to help us protect the health of our crews by reducing the need to lift heavy boxes.”

In March the number of operatives in refuse lorry cabs was reduced in order to give crew members the space to stay two metres apart, meaning we needed increased resources to carry out the collection of kerbside and communal general waste, food recycling and dry mixed recycling.

While the glass recycling service will recommence on Tuesday, 28 April residents should check collection calendars for their next blue box collection date. We’re encouraging people to put out only one blue box and to store any excess glass for the next collection, as boxes may become too heavy to lift, posing a health risk to crews.

Garden waste collections and special uplifts are currently suspended while Household Waste and Recycling Centres remain closed though we’re working hard to reintroduce these services as soon as it is safe to do so.

Anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is encouraged to follow the guidance on how to dispose of waste correctly to help protect the safety of bin collection crews.

Additional measures taken to safeguard waste and cleansing workers’ health have included the increased provision of hand sanitiser supplies, in addition to hot water handwashing points in a number of vehicles, the washing down of lorries at the end of shifts and efforts to encourage social distancing in depots.

Further information on changes to bin collections and other services can be found on the Council website.

Toiletries: make it clear!

The battle against plastic waste is being held back by a mountain of poorly-labelled bathroom products that could go unrecycled, Which? is warning.

Which? analysed the recycling information on the labels of 20 common toiletries, as well as the type and volume of packaging, to determine how clearly the products are labelled and how difficult they would be to recycle.

The consumer champion found that 12 out of 20 (60%) products had no recycling information on the label, despite most of them being partially or wholly recyclable.

Only six of the products (30%) that Which? looked at seemed to be getting the labelling right – advising consumers that the products should be recycled and with specific instructions on how to do so.

The consumer group is concerned that this lack of coherent labelling could cause confusion among consumers and lead to significant numbers of recyclable products being sent to landfill.

Which? found that while two-thirds (67%) of people think recyclability of packaging is important when supermarket shopping, a majority (65%) of Which? members said they were not cutting back on plastics in the bathroom.

A third (33%) explained that this was because it would be too difficult to replace bathroom products they regularly use, while a quarter (23%) hadn’t thought about it before. One in six (16%) explained that they don’t know how to cut back on bathroom plastic.

Experts at Which? found that Head and Shoulders classic clean shampoo (500ml), L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect conditioner (400ml) and Listerine Total Care mouthwash (500ml) had no clear labelling regarding recycling, despite being made of recyclable materials.

While many brands fell short of the standards Which? expected, Carex’s Complete Original handwash (250ml) displays clear labelling about how to recycle the bottle, and encourages people to do so. Radox Feel Refreshed shower gel (250ml) gives similarly clear instructions.

For most people, the recycling habit has taken hold more effectively with groceries and other kitchen products. Previous Which? research found that on average 58 per cent of packaging for grocery products was clearly labelled.

Which? is concerned that many toiletry brands are not doing enough to offer consumers clear information about whether or not their bathroom products are recyclable.

The onus is now on these brands to make significant changes to the way they approach the production of plastic packaging and how they communicate with their customers.

Which? is also calling on the government to make recycling labelling simple, clear and mandatory and ensure the necessary infrastructure is in place to make it easy for everyone to recycle, regardless of where they live.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “Recycling and sustainability are a high priority for many consumers – so the lack of clear information on the products we looked at is inexcusable in this day and age.

“With the packaging of many recyclable bathroom toiletries going into landfill in the UK, brands must take action to ensure bottles of shampoo, conditioner and shower gel are clearly labelled and can be disposed of in an efficient way.”

Which? advice for consumers:

  • Items such as shampoo, conditioner and shower gel bottles can usually be recycled by emptying, rinsing and replacing the lids.

  • When recyclable products have pump dispensers, you usually need to remove the pump and throw it away separately.

  • Some retailers offer refills for certain branded toiletries so you don’t have to buy another container.

  • A lot of plastic-free options can actually save money, such as using a soap bar and buying refills in bulk. Other plastic-free options include:

    • Reusable face wipes

    • Solid shampoo / conditioner bars

    • Bamboo toothbrushes

    • Toothpaste and mouthwash tablets

    • Menstrual cups

    • Plastic-free deodorant

    • Recyclable / plastic-free toilet paper

Full table of products

Product

Packaging

Recycling information provided on label

Recyclability

Andrex: Classic Clean Toilet Paper (4 rolls)

Cardboard, plastic film

Tube – widely recycled

Cardboard collected at kerbside, plastic film not widely recycled

Sure Men: Invisible Ice aerosol anti-perspirant deodorant (150ml)

Aluminium

Widely recycled

Collected at kerbside

Sure Women: MotionSense Invisible Aqua deodorant (50ml)

Plastic (unspecified)

Widely recycled

Collected at kerbside

Simple: Kind to skin vital vitamin day cream facial moisturiser (50ml)

PP and cardboard

Please recycle me. Jar and lid are PP; carton is cardboard

Collected at kerbside

Simple: Kind to skin vital vitamin face wash (150ml)

PE and PP

Please check if packaging is recyclable in your country. Tube is PE. Cap is PP.

Collected at kerbside

Radox: Feel Refreshed shower gel (250ml)

PP

Widely recycled, please recycle but remove cap first

Collected at kerbside

Complete: Original handwash (250ml)

PET

Widely recycled, reuse our pump, recycle our bottle

Collected at kerbside when pump removed

Nivea Men: Rehydrating moisturiser (75ml)

Cardboard and LDPE

Mobius loop image

Cardboard collected at kerbside; LDPE not widely recycled – check local recycling

Gilette: Fusion5+ 10-blade men’s razor

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, razors non-recyclable (except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Gilette Venus: Swirl women’s razor

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, razors non-recyclable

(except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Gillette: Fusion 5 shaving gel (200ml)

Steel

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Head and Shoulders: Classic clean shampoo  (500ml)

HDPE

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

L’Oreal: Elvive Colour Protect conditioner (400ml)

HDPE

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

VO5: Matte clay hair styling product (65ml)

Aluminium

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Oral B: Indicator 35 medium toothbrush

Cardboard and plastic packaging

No recycling labelling

Packaging collected at kerbside, toothbrush non-recyclable (except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Colgate: Total Original toothpaste (125ml)

Cardboard packaging and mixed plastic tube

No recycling labelling

Cardboard collected at kerbside; tube non-recyclable

(except through specialist collection schemes like TerraCycle)

Listerine: Total Care mouthwash (500ml)

PET

No recycling labelling

Collected at kerbside

Tampax: Pearl Compak regular tampons (18 pack)

Cardboard packaging and plastic applicators

No recycling labelling

Cardboard collected at kerbside; mixed plastic applicators not widely recycled

Neutrogena: Hand cream (50ml)

LDPE

No recycling labelling

Not widely recycled – check local recycling

Radox Scent Touch Feel Fresh shower gel (200ml)

Mixed plastic

No recycling labelling

Not widely recycled

 

Holyrood committee welcomes Deposit and Return Scheme proposals

Scotland’s proposed deposit return scheme will have a real and lasting impact on tackling climate change, according to a report issued today by the Scottish Parliament’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee.

In its report, the Committee notes that whilst the scheme itself had widespread support, there was disagreement about some aspects of the operation of the system, including what materials should be included, how it will operate and when it will come into effect. Continue reading Holyrood committee welcomes Deposit and Return Scheme proposals

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham visits recycling depot to promote circular economy

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham paid a visit to secure shredding and paper recycling firm Shredall SDS Group’s new Scotland depot. The Environment Secretary was given a tour of the site’s state-of-the-art recycling facilities to explore the potential to help develop Scotland’s circular economy.  Continue reading Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham visits recycling depot to promote circular economy

Edinburgh and Lothians Aldi stores to trial reusable bags for loose fruit and veg

Aldi stores in Edinburgh and the Lothians are to trial reusable bags for loose fruit and vegetables in an effort to cut single-use plastics.

From the end of November, more than 14 stores across Edinburgh and the Lothians will offer the bags as a more sustainable alternative to single-use plastic. Continue reading Edinburgh and Lothians Aldi stores to trial reusable bags for loose fruit and veg

Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”

Up to 18,000 tons to be thrown out by the end of the big day

Hundreds of thousands of pumpkins, single use fancy dress clothes and plastic tat will be thrown into Britain’s bins by the end of the Hallowe’en festivities. Continue reading Halloween waste: Pumpkins and fancy dress heading “straight to Britain’s bins”