Page 34 - Plastic News November 2023

FEATURE

Opinion: How to Increase Recycling Rates With 2D Codes and The GS1
Digital Link

However, focusing solely on recycling
management overlooks the role of
consumers – who have a significant
impact on overall recycling rates.
Consumers are vital stakeholders in
the recycling process, and one of the
major obstacles to increasing plastic
recycling rates is consumer confu-
sion about what can be recycled, how
it should be prepared, and where to
dispose of it. In 2022, the Waste and
Recycling Action Programme in the
UK revealed that as many as 84% of
households in the UK regularly con-

ow can we increase the quantity availability of PCR plastic? Lee Met- taminate recycling bins so-called ‘wish
Hand availability of PCR plastic? ters, Group Business Development cycling’ of non-recyclable products
Lee Metters, Group Business Devel- Director, Domino Printing Sciences, – including broken glass – which can
opment Director, Domino Printing explores. affect the quality of collected material
Sciences, explores Creating a circular economy for plas- and, in extreme cases, lead to entire
lorry loads of recycling being disposed
Five years since the Ellen MacArthur tic waste of rather than recycled.
Foundation and the UN Environment The first step towards creating a cir-
Programme launched the New Plas- cular economy for plastic waste is de- All this points to the need for more
consumer awareness of correctly
tics Economy Global Commitment to signing products for recyclability, but
create a circular economy for plas- making products recyclable is only preparing and disposing of waste for
tics and more than 500 signatories part of the solution. Worldwide, we recycling.
have signed up. Many global brands produce large volumes of recycla- The rise of on-pack recycling labels
have promised to drastically increase ble waste daily, but the vast majority The consumer goods forum has a set
their use of post-consumer recycled ends up in general waste collections. of 9 Golden Rules for designing pack-
(PCR) plastic instead of virgin plastic Indeed, a recent report by National aging for recyclability, including using
by 2025. Geographic found that 91% of plastic on-pack recycling instructions to help

Many brands have taken great strides waste is not sent to a recycling facility. with consumer awareness. This idea
in the right direction, but a problem So, it’s hardly a surprise that there is is backed by research – with a 2023
remains – there is insufficient recycled a significant debate about how to im- report from the US-based Recycling
plastic to meet demand. In its 2022 prove materials recovery. Partnership finding that 78% of US
global report, the Ellen MacArthur Multiple start-ups and businesses aim consumers look for recycling infor-
Foundation announced that signato- to improve product identification at mation on product labels to ensure an
ries had more than doubled their use materials recovery facilities (MRFs), item ends up in the right place.
of PCR since 2018 – from 4.8% to with everything from artificial intelli- Using on-pack recycling labels not
10% – but remain way off the 2025 gence and machine vision applications only makes things easier for consum-
target. Moreover, virgin plastic use emerging alongside existing near-in- ers but it can also add additional brand
is back at 2018 levels after an initial frared and air separation technologies value. A recent study from McKinsey
drop. to identify waste better at the point of and NielsenIQ found a ‘clear and
As such, the question remains: how recycling. material link’ between sustainability
can we increase the quantity and claims and consumer spending.

34 PLASTICS NEWSASTICS NEWS November 2023
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