The Suffolk Waste Partnership (SWP) yesterday (21 March), launched a new recycling campaign aimed at dispelling confusion surrounding which plastics can be recycled and where.
The campaign, ‘Plastics – know your place’, uses a ‘1950s retro theme’ to tackle the 9,000 tonnes of plastic which ends up in Suffolk landfill each year, at a cost of £800,000 to the tax payer.
As part of the campaign, each household in Suffolk will now receive a leaflet directing them to the campaign website, an illustrated plastics recycling guide and a 50s-style ‘public information broadcast’.
The information provided details exactly what can be recycled in the home and/or household waste recycling centres and reminds residents that a number of plastics currently can’t be recycled, including: polystyrene, fruit nets, blister packs, snack wrappers and pet food pouches.
Four district and borough councils under the SWP will be holding ‘plastics recycling roadshows’, at which waste officers will offer advice and answer questions about plastic recycling. These will take place on:
- Monday, 25 March (10am-2pm) – SOLAR, Felixstowe (Suffolk Coastal District Council)
- Wednesday, 27 March (10am-3pm) - Morrisons, Sproughton Road, Ipswich (Ipswich Borough Council)
- Thursday, 4 April (9am-4pm) – Thursday Market, Sudbury (Babergh District Council)
- Tuesday, 16 April (10am-2pm) – ASDA, Lowestoft (Waveny District Council)
The campaign adds that though plastics should be recycled where possible, ‘certain chemicals such as weed killer or white spirit should not be poured down the sink or drain’.
Chair of the SWP, Councillor Peter Stevens, said: “Currently 50 per cent of all the recyclable plastics in Suffolk end up in landfill. We hope this campaign will inspire our residents to help improve our recycling rate, help save money and make Suffolk an even Greener County.”
The SWP is a ‘strategic partnership’, comprising the eight district, borough and county councils operating in Suffolk. They operate under the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy 2003-2020, which details 17 policies for the management of municipal waste.
Read more about recycling in Suffolk.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.