Milestone for RECOUP: Plastics recycling project designed to last three years enters third decade
Plastics recycling charity, RECOUP, is celebrating 30 years of work within the plastics recycling value chain.
Initially set up in 1990 as a three-year project designed to kick-start the recycling of bottles in the UK, the venture has entered its third decade of operation.
Originally called ‘Operation RECOUP’, the non-profit making project brought together major UK bottle blowers, machinery, and material producers to drive forward plastic bottle recycling.
Alan Davey, who was in 1999 the Technical Environmental Manager at LinPac Plastics, commented: “It is strange to think that something we thought would only be needed for three years has turned out to be even more relevant today than it was in 1990.
“The leadership at RECOUP has taken the organisation to new levels of ambition; bringing recyclability by design to the core of any sustainability programme, driving collaboration across the value chain, championing the need for citizen education, alongside industry best practice and knowledge transference.”
Adaptability and capability
RECOUP, like all organisations that survive in ever changing landscapes, has had to prove its adaptability and capability over the last 30 years.
It says the wealth of knowledge within the organisation is key to driving ambitious government targets, as well as being able to understand the issues at each part of the value chain, whether collection, sorting, reprocessing, or end markets.
It also says it has “an unrivalled grasp” of what is possible on the ground in terms of plastics recycling and a clear vision of the day when its services will no longer be needed, in “a utopian world where all plastics remain in the loop.”
Collection Surveys
In 1994, RECOUP’s first Local Authority UK Household Collection Survey reported that 3,150 tonnes of plastic bottles were being collected.
At this point, there were only eight household bottle collection schemes. The 2019 UK Household Plastics Collection Survey reported 370,890 tonnes of bottles were collected for recycling, with all UK Local Authorities providing a kerbside collection service.
Yet, this does not mean that the job is done, says RECOUP, which says it will continue to call for even better collection rates for bottles and seek to discuss the challenges within film collection rates (five percent) and pots, tubs and trays (31 per cent). If 2025 targets are to be achieved, it recognises that much still remains to be done.
“Pressure and attention” on plastics
Stuart Foster, RECOUP’s CEO, commented: “No one could have predicted the pressure and attention placed on plastics in recent years fuelled by the ‘Blue Planet’ effect and certainly when RECOUP was launched this was not forecasted to be part of our future working space.
“Politicians, consumers, media and businesses are all demanding change and RECOUP is central to delivering that change through increased recycling and more efficient use of plastic resources.
“Clearly, it cannot be right to allow plastics to leak into the environment, but neither is it acceptable to lose the opportunity to use plastic where it is the most appropriate and cost-effective material for so many applications.
“We look forward to working with the support of our members to encourage and help foster the right conditions to allow for a viable and resilient system plastics recycling system across the UK.”
Today, RECOUP, has over 141 members from waste management companies, reprocessors, brands and retailers.
Amongst the roll call are some of the founding members who have been with charity throughout the journey, and for whom, the recyclability of plastics and the reduction of plastic pollution and waste have formed a key part of their environmental and sustainability ambitions.
Gordon McSkimming, Sustainable Packaging Manager, Coca-Cola European Partners, said Coca-Cola is proud to have been a partner of RECOUP for the last 30 years, commenting:
“It’s Coca-Cola’s ambition to work towards a world without waste, and we want to see a world where all our plastic packaging is recycled, and none ends up in the rivers or oceans.
“Working with RECOUP can help contribute to achieving this objective, and Coca-Cola look forward to continuing to collaborate successfully as we go forward together.”
Direct conversations
RECOUP says it has “never been shy” about having direct conversations with the public on plastics packaging and recycling over the years, visiting a variety of places including Jimmy’s Farm, air shows, festivals, marathons, schools, high streets and community groups.
Its ‘Pledge2Recycle’ arm, which is citizen-focused, is active across social media platforms profiling a number of campaigns. Recently it tackled the issue of COVID-19 litter with its ‘#dontthrowonthego’ campaign.
Virtual events later this year
From an organisation set up as a three-year project looking at plastic bottle recycling, RECOUP, has evolved into a respected authority and leading information source of the challenges and opportunities of plastics recycling. It has often shared this information via an annual conference held in Peterborough in September.
However, as a result of the current restrictions and concerns around live events, RECOUP will, for 2020, stage a series of web presentations and discussions throughout both September and October, in order to provide a platform for discussion and information sharing.
Topics that will be covered in the live series range from RECOUP’s work from plastics in farming and horticulture, to the opportunities of reuse and refillable strategies and challenges of flexibles recycling.
Concluding, Foster said: “We look forward to working, with the support of our members, to encourage and help foster the right conditions to allow for a viable and resilient system plastics recycling system across the UK.”
Any organisation wishing to become members of RECOUP are encouraged to contact enquiry@recoup.org. For more information on the live events in September and October, please click here: www.recoup.org