Veolia: Give consumers the recycled content they want to see

Veolia is calling on designers, manufacturers and Government to work together with the recycling industry to give consumers the levels of recycled content they expect to see in plastic bottles.

New research undertaken by the resource management and recycling company suggests 93 per cent of consumers think that plastic bottles should contain some recycled material, with 55 per cent believing it should make up the majority.

The results of the research are published in ‘Plan for Plastics’, a new report launched by both Veolia and RECOUP. The findings describe an indisputable gap between the amount of recycled content the public expect to be in plastic products and the reality.

In order meet consumer expectations, and create a market for recycled material in the UK, the Plan for Plastics report suggests simplifying recycling to remove confusion; standardising packaging so it is recyclable by design; and increasing the use of recycled content in the manufacturing of new products.

“The British public have told us they expect plastic bottles to be made of recycled content,” commented Richard Kirkman, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Veolia UK and Ireland.

“We see 50 per cent recycled content for plastic bottles and 30 per cent for plastic packaging as realistic ambitions for every manufacturer to aim for within the next 10 years. When more packaging is both recyclable and made from recycled material, it will be the shift needed for recycled plastic to become mainstream.”

The research undertaken for the report also suggested that most consumers are willing to pay as much as 2.5p extra for bottles containing recycled materials, as well as that those bottles should be recycled in the UK.

“Plastic packaging can be complex but increasing recycling rates can be simple. Veolia is in a unique position, holding a bird’s eye view over the end-to-end plastic recycling process, and in this report with industry experts RECOUP, we recommend three clear ways for the UK to become a champion of plastic recycling - both environmentally and economically - setting the standard for the next decade,” Kirkman continued.

“Veolia is planning to invest £1 billion in recycling and recovery infrastructure in the UK over the next five years. It is up to designers, manufacturers and Government to ensure supply matches our stake; so more plastic is collected and sorted to a higher quality standard. We owe it to future generations to make circular and sustainable living this country’s priority.”

You can download the report here.