Revamped Recycling Labelling Scheme Gets the Go-Ahead
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 - 13:45:08
The approach to labelling product packaging to indicate its recyclability has been widely criticised recently, largely because the current system is deemed too confusing.
Now regulators are set to address this by revising the way that goods are labelled, with the intention being that these changes will be put into action before 2020.
Materials Recycling World reports that the On-Pack Recycling Label initiative is currently carrying out an investigation of the issues surrounding existing labelling practices in order to determine the best route forwards.
Spokesperson Jane Bevis said that consumers and campaigners alike have been calling for clarity, with many wanting to see more information added to packaging so that they are empowered to make the right purchasing decisions.
Part of this update will apparently involve including details about whether or not packaging is indeed able to be recycled locally. At the moment, consumers are simply advised to carry out these checks themselves, which is clearly not ideal and can lead to mix-ups.
This will doubtlessly involve including a lot of small print on packaging and perhaps taking care to ensure that products are shipped to specific regions where the information is accurate. Manufacturers such as Nestle are being involved in this research and feedback process to help smooth things over going forwards.
Aside from this revamp of the labelling of packaging, many people are now asking for brands to both cut down on the amount of materials used to contain goods while also doing away with non-recyclable elements altogether.
We are still in the early stages of the single-use plastic revolution, and in many cases it is still necessary for consumers to put themselves forwards and make a difference in the buying decisions they make, rather than waiting for regulators and brands to solve this.
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