The On-Pack Recycling Label – OPRL – scheme has changed its guidance for plastic pots, tubs and trays and aluminium foil to suggest that the materials are now ‘widely recycled’ by councils at the kerbside.
OPRL is used across a number of well-known food and drink brands to denote the recyclability of product packaging to consumers, and was first launched with the backing of the British Retail Consortium in 2009.
Plastics packaging such as pots, tubs and trays will now be considered ‘widely recycled’ under OPRL guidelines
The OPRL label has three categories which tell consumers how likely it is that their local authority will accept specific packaging materials for recycling.
The categories include: ‘widely recycled’ where 75% or more of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging, ‘check locally’, between 20% and 75% of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging, and ‘not yet recycled’, where fewer than 20% of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging.
Latest guidance issued this week now under the OPRL’s 2017 Guidelines now denotes that aluminium foils and many clear and non-black plastic pots, tubs and trays (PTT) are widely collected for recycling at the kerbside. Both had previously featured guidance to check local recycling instructions.
The change was guided by data from WRAP as well as Recoup’s household collections report which is published annually.
Markets for PTT plastic are continuing to mature in the UK, with some councils having opted not to collect the material due to concerns over the viability of available outlets for the material.
However, recent guidance – including the Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP) has encouraged councils to look to add the material to plastic collections as a way of maximising capture rates for plastic packaging. This is despite some overall concerns of the impact this could have on the potential contamination of other plastic grades, in particular PET bottles, for which there are more established recycling routes.
Films
Labelling for plastic films has been also been altered so that PE films carry the specialist label ‘Recycle With Bags at Larger Stores: Check Locally Kerbside’, while all other films are designated ‘Not Yet Recycled’.
Commenting on the changes, Paul East, packaging technologist at Recoup and member of OPRL’s Guideline Review Panel, said: “By interrogating Recoup’s latest collections data, alongside WRAP’s, we have a robust view of what is and isn’t being collected across the UK.
“That gives us confidence in promoting certain non-black plastic pots, tubs and trays into the readily understandable Widely Recycled category. This doesn’t just help consumers understand they should be recycled, it also gives packaging producers a clearer steer on which materials are most likely to be recycled when specifying packaging.”
Plastic pots, tubs and trays and aluminium foils will now feature the ‘Widely Recycled’ OPRL label
Beverage cartons will retain current guidance which states: ‘Widely Recycled at Recycling Points: Check Locally Kerbside’ although it is claimed that the material is collected by around two thirds of local authorities.
Aluminium
On aluminium foil changes, Rick Hindley, executive director of the aluminium recycling body Alupro, said: “As our data showed last year, aluminium foil collections by local authorities have moved past OPRL’s 75% threshold for Widely Recycled designation, and now stand at 86%. We’re delighted this will be clearly signalled to consumers from now on so we can maximise recycling of this precious material.”
Changes have come after OPRL has also changed its imaging to offer a simpler style, aimed at making the messages easier to recognise, following a review of the wording on the label.
Stuart Lendrum, OPRL board director, said: “OPRL has come a long way since 2009, with over 500 brands on board now and more than 7 in 10 consumers recognising the label. But recycling in England, at least, is stalling and we want to help kick-start an up-turn. It’s one thing for packaging to be recyclable, it’s another to increase the quantity and quality of what’s being recycled. So we’ve looked at WRAP and other research on barriers, listened to consumer and member feedback, and redesigned our labels to be simpler, more impactful, easier to understand and to use.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
