Plastics recyclers ‘take to the bottle’ to show referendum position

An innovative method used to gauge opinion from plastics recyclers about how they intend to vote in Thursday’s EU referendum is also helping spread the message about the importance of recycling.

RECOUP, the member-based plastics recycling organisation, asked visitors to last week’s Plastics Recycling Expo (PRE) in Telford to ‘take to the bottle’, and cast their vote ahead of the referendum by placing their empty plastics drinks bottles in specially marked bins to indicate their voting preference.

The outcome suggested 65 percent were in favour of remaining in the EU, however, RECOUP’s Communications Manager, Anne Hitch, says the bottle-collecting method is as much about spreading the message of recycling as it is gauging public opinion.

“The RECOUP team find it prompts the consumer to consider what happens to the plastic bottles after they have voted, challenging their recycling behaviour both on the go and at home,” she explained.

The voting bins sparked interesting debate, Hitch added, including varied views on how the decision would affect future investment in manufacturing facilities, imports and exports, and the recycling industry in the UK.

“The Remain and Brexit decision will directly affect how the UK priorities recycling, sustainability and circular economy development, and it was interesting to hear the frank discussion from delegates about the affects the EU referendum could have,” Hitch concluded.