PIRAP endorses latest RECOUP recyclability guidelines

The Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP), a forum set up by WRAP and now managed by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) and PlasticsEurope, has endorsed a recent amendment to guidelines published by RECOUP, about integral recyclability in packaging design. 

The guidelines, ‘Recyclability by Design’, details ways for packaging technologists and designers to make products more recyclable and provides information about sectors of the plastics recycling chain. 

Helen Jordan, British Plastics Federation Sustainability Issues Executive said: “Getting the packaging design right is essential to enable the material to be sorted and recycled into new products. This is an excellent guide which can help companies to better design their products in a way that takes into consideration end of life. This initiative, and others like it, is something that PIRAP wholeheartedly support and encourage.”

Paul East, RECOUP Packaging Technologist and writer of the guidelines, said: “There is no doubt that packaging must perform its primary function first and foremost. This is especially true for food packaging. There are, however, still many packs on the market where some minor changes could make a difference to recyclability. The aim of Recyclability by Design is to highlight where simple changes can be made.”