RECOUP 2018: Seize the Day

After a year where the questions and challenges facing the UK’s recycling and waste industries have increased and intensified, so too have the opportunities. BP&R reports from RECOUP’s annual conference, where the message was ‘seize the day’.

Following an unprecedented year for the UK’s recycling, resource and waste industries, it is little wonder that the annual conference held by plastics resource and recycling charity, RECOUP, attracted its highest number of attendees to date. Some 400 delegates descended on Peterborough in September, where discussions covered the whole of the plastics resource and recycling value chain.

In his opening address, RECOUP’s CEO, Stuart Foster, told the audience that the growing number of challenges facing the industry are matched by the opportunities. “We’ve got the chance to seize the day,” said Foster. “For a number of years, we have talked about what could be done, might be done and what the future might hold, but now it’s time for action. We can’t wait for tomorrow and we certainly can’t wait until 2042.”

Referencing the effect mainstream programmes such as the BBC’s Blue Planet II and Sky’s Ocean Rescue have had in putting a greater focus on the leakage of materials into the environment, Foster said more organisations are recognising the urgent nature of the change that’s required and that the past 12 months has seen “a fundamental shift” in attitudes.

Bottle rates hit milestone

Reflecting on progress, Foster said the amount of plastic bottles collected for recycling from UK households has risen by the biggest annual total in three years. The findings of the data, which is published by RECOUP as part of its annual ‘Household Plastics Collections Survey’, suggests during 2017 there was steady progress in the amount of not only bottles collected (up 2.5 per cent), but also plastic pots, tubs and trays (up 3.5 per cent). The combined total for both streams was 527,010tonnes collected – representing an overall 2.8 per cent increase versus 2016.

“Although there is still work to do, we need to focus on how far we’ve come,” Foster explained. “We talk about the journey ahead, but we need to keep remembering where we’ve come from and in the last decade we’ve have seen significant increases in collection, particularly in rigid household packaging from various kerbside schemes.”

“Huge opportunities” on-the-go

Foster outlined the huge potential in ‘on the go’ services in both increasing overall materials collection and preventing litter and plastics ending up in the environment. “On the go provision, including litter bins and recycling units on the streets, needs a complete overhaul,” he explained.

“We know from a report we did that local authorities are under pressure, and it’s an area that’s under prioritised and there’s issues around consumer engagement. However, it’s a fantastic opportunity and one we can’t ignore.”

New consumer initiatives

To help engage the consumer and inform, educate and incentivise behaviour change, Foster announced a relaunch of RECOUP’s own national recycling communications campaign.

Formerly ‘pledge4plastics’, the initiative is now known as ‘pledge2recycleplastics’. It will continue to provide resources and be a catalyst in supporting consumer communications in plastics recycling across the UK. Foster outlined the engagement projects that have been held throughout the summer as part of the initiative,and encouraged Local Authorities to contact RECOUP for assistance in future plastics recycling campaigns and to gain access to free resources. Foster also called on manufacturers, brand owners and retailers for financial commitments to run match-funded pledge2recycle plastics campaigns with local authorities on a voluntary basis, until new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements are in place.

Plastics – Carpe Diem?

The chair of the morning session, Professor of Sustainable Waste Management at the University of Northampton, Margaret Bates, emphasised in her address that as plastics “are not all created equal”, the UK needs a sensible debate about packaging. “Thanks to the spotlight on the issues relating to plastics in the environment there has become an amazing awareness, but people have little knowledge about what is realistic. People have great ideas, but they won’t work,” she told the audience, warning of the unintended consequences that can arise from material replacement or elimination, such as increased carbon footprint or higher food waste.

Faced with a complex situation, the panellists involved in the morning session were asked what one, UK-wide change they would each implement to make the biggest change. Andy Rees, Head of Waste Strategy at the Welsh Government, said a robust and futureproof deposit return schemes that works together with Extended Producer Responsibility would have the biggest impact.

“EPR will be a game changer if the modulated fees that have been proposed are implemented,” he told the audience. Shane Monkman of ASDA, the UK’s third biggest supermarket chain by market share, said that standardised collection across all local authorities would make the biggest difference and was long overdue.

Chris Brown, Managing Director of Clean Tech, one of Europe's leading rPET pellet and flake manufacturers,said a significant reduction in the amount of collected material that is currently exported was imperative to making real change. “We have to ensure there is enough material to meet demand in this country,” he commented.

Elena Polisano, Campaigner at Greenpeacesaid for her it ultimately “comes down to using less plastic.” Finally, Justin Kempson of Charpak said the need for clear and consistent On Pack Recycling Labelling (OPRL) system was needed.

Flexible Futures

In the first ever session at a RECOUP conference dedicated to films and flexibles, session chair Mike Baxter from RPC bpi said there was opportunity in the recycling of pouches, films and flexibles to be widely recycled, but the systems need investment.

Backing up this opinion, Richard McKinlay of Axion Recycling updated the audience on the findings of the REFLEX project, stating that the barriers to the increased recycling of flexibles “is not a material problem” and that there was potential for both PE and PP based packs. “I see a big market for recycled PP into rigids,” he explained.

“PP film is fully recyclable, including that which is metallised, and coatings, adhesives and barrier layers have little effect on recyclability. We need to invest in flexible packaging recycling. We should use this opportunity to develop a solution for all flexible packaging,” he added.

A responsible plastic future?

The final session of the day looked at the changes likely to happen in the future within plastics resources, recycling and packaging. There was debate on what any future deposit return scheme might look like, how recycling could be measured and the possible outcomes of EPR for both recycling and litter.

Both Nick Brown from Coca Cola and Stuart Hayward-Higham from Suez highlighted some of their ongoing plans and activities to change the way we treat plastic resources, and make the current systems better, with John Read from Clean Up Britain recognising the current litter problems in the UK and their campaign in Leamington Spa to change consumer thinking.

Conclusion

Throughout the day, the event embraced the current work of many organisations in this space and challenged all involved to make the most of the ‘once in a generation’ opportunities that are presenting themselves. “Change is coming, and we need to ‘seize the day,” concluded RECOUP’s Stuart Foster.