Drinks can recycling programme Every Can Counts (ECC) has today (23 September) published research which, it says, can demonstrate how the retail sector should prepare for the new Waste Regulations coming into force for 2015, in England and Wales.

The Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, due to come in to force in January 2015, stipulate that businesses in the two countries – including shopping centres and retailers – will be required to separate paper, metal, plastic and glass for recycling in a bid to improve the quality and quantity of recyclate collected in the UK.

As such, Every Can Counts has released a retail whitepaper that details how six environmental and waste management professionals working in the retail sector have been using (or, in one case, will use) ECC’s programme to establish separate drinks can recycling points and educate staff and shoppers on ‘the importance of recycling drinks cans whilst at work and when on the go’.

Key findings

The whitepaper outlines that all of the respondents who have an established ECC programme (five of the six respondents) recycle more than 80 per cent of their waste and believe that ECC has been a ‘key driver for helping to educate staff and tenants on the importance of recycling’.

However, despite respondents saying there were no ‘severe’ barriers to implementing recycling programmes, there were cases where there was some ‘resistance’ from retail tenants, who sometimes thought that recycling was a ‘distraction’. However, following education, this reportedly eased over time (indeed, respondents with well-established recycling programmes, stated that recycling has now become ‘second nature’ to staff).

Doreen Hutton, Environmental Services Manager at intu Trafford Centre, explained: “Education of retailers was a bit of hard work. Their focus tends towards selling, not recycling. It is now compulsory for them to recycle correctly. It took some patience to get this across, but it’s working well now.”

Those operating Every Can Counts have introduced a range of steps to promote recycling, including: implementing ‘Green champions’ and recognising their achievements at an awards dinner; producing annual recycling packs with key facts and figures; promoting the recycling facilities; involving management teams with recycling campaign ideas; giving commission to those whose recycling ideas provide savings; and releasing recycling news stories.

For all of the respondents, there was an ambition to continuously seek to improve recycling facilities and infrastructure’ (with some looking to become cost neutral), and an ultimate aim of diverting 100 per cent of waste from landfill.

‘More important than ever’ for business to consider recycling policies

Speaking after the release of the research, Rick Hindley, Executive Director of Every Can Counts, said: “The introduction of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations next year means that it is more important than ever for businesses to consider their recycling policies in order to achieve zero waste targets.

“By offering insight and advice, along with free supporting communication materials to create highly visible recycling points, we are working with shopping centres to improve recycling facilities, infrastructure, and education, ensuring that retailers and staff are well placed to comply with the new legislation.”

Organisers for the report say the research has provided a number of ‘enlightening talking points’ and helped to ‘paint a positive picture of recycling in UK shopping centres, where ECC has been implemented. This has been achieved through raising awareness and improved ‘eye-catching branding’ and events, alongside investing in on-site resources, such as can crushers.

Describing the impact ECC has had for the retail centre, Dan Pickard, Centre Director at Willow Place & Corby Town Centre, said: “Although we have provided recycling facilities in the town for ten years now, before the Every Can Counts programme was introduced there was no recycling strategy in place. The facilities and support we have received from Every Can Counts have enabled us to develop a successful strategy and make great strides towards our targets. We now have teams working to collect recyclable waste and empty the bins. Our local collection partner makes a big difference to the operation too.”

Martin McAtee, Facilities Manager at Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, Scotland, added: “Working with Every Can Counts has made a huge difference to our recycling activity. I don’t think they could have done much more to support us. Our contact in Scotland often goes way above and beyond what he needs to be doing. We have over 90 retailers and he came in and brought each and every one of the can recycling bins to every shop, which I just thought was exceptional.”

As part of the second phase of its research, ECC will now conduct ‘quantitative research’ in shopping centres, surveying retail staff and shoppers about shopping habits to offer a ‘360 degree view of how recycling programmes are delivered and how businesses can further improve recycling strategy’.

Read the report, find out more about Every Can Counts, or learn more about the impact of the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2012.