Today (18 March) marks the third annual Global Recycling Day – an international initiative aiming to promote the value of recycling in the development of the circular economy.
With this year’s day based around the theme ‘Recycling Heroes’, the Global Recycling Foundation will today be announcing the winners of its #RecyclingHeroes competition, which seeks to grant recognition to individuals or organisations that have championed innovative recycling practices.
The Global Recycling Foundation will select the top 100 Recycling Heroes, awarding 10 winners a $1,000 prize to contribute to their recycling initiatives.
Global Recycling Day, which was first set up in 2018 by the Bureau for International Recycling (BIR), aims to encourage people to consider recycled or recyclable materials as a ‘Seventh Resource’ – after water, air, coal, oil, natural gas and minerals – which can play an important role in climate change mitigation.
While the day was set to be marked with activities and events such as educational talks and beach clean-ups, the global outbreak of the Covid-19 virus and resulting social distancing measures has forced this year’s Global Recycling Day to be celebrated online, using the #GlobalRecyclingDay and #RecyclingHeroes hashtags on social media.
Ranjit S Baxi, Founder and President of the Global Recycling Foundation, commented: “Today marks the third annual Global Recycling Day, a day that takes place every 18 March to recognise the contribution recycling industry makes to the long term sustainability of our planet.
“Even in times as uncertain as the ones we are facing right now, environmental impact and our role in mitigating it, has to be a global priority. This year the theme of Global Recycling Day has been Recycling Heroes, as we look to champion the difference we each, as individuals in our communities, can make to the world around us.
“Although today is a day to focus on recycling, the Global Recycling Foundation wants us to recycle year round, to use and reuse the goods we surround ourselves with every day, and to let the earth preserve as many of her primary resources as we can.
“Today is a day to make a change, to promise to be as responsible with our resources as we can, and to be inspired by those men and women who are leading the way, and to follow in their footsteps.”
Last year’s Global Recycling Day was centred on the theme ‘Recycling into the Future’, focusing on the importance of education in driving change, with BIR sharing materials to be used in schools and youth clubs to encourage young people to recycle.
You can find more information on the Global Recycling Day website.
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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.