Further Plastics Recycling Confusion Revealed in Report
Wednesday, March 11, 2020 - 14:36:19
A survey from Hi-Cone has indicated that consumers in the UK are uncertain about how to handle their recycling responsibilities when it comes to the different types of plastic packaging that are still prevalent across the market, according to Packing News.
The majority of Brits questioned in the study said that they did not know exactly how to dispose of plastic materials sustainably, with a similar proportion claiming that they were confused by the rules and availability of processing relating to this issue.
The good news is that UK consumers are more tuned into the need to recycle than the global average, with 92 per cent saying that they participate in regular recycling activities. Internationally this proportion sits at just 75 per cent, indicating that more needs to be done to increase awareness around the complications that arise from a failure to recycle.
Plastic packaging has come under greater scrutiny in recent years because it is nearly universal across both consumable goods and non-food items. It is also incredibly diverse in terms of the different materials that are used, meaning that while some plastic packaging can be recycled fairly easily, other types are simply not compatible with current methods.
The other issue with plastic being used in any context is that even the iterations that are easily recyclable do have a limit to the number of times they can be processed in this way. This is why there are growing calls for all plastic packaging to eventually be phased out and replaced with materials that are endlessly recyclable, or at least degradable.
Once again the need for education on the issue of recycling is becoming apparent, although it is reassuring to see that there is growing enthusiasm for a more sustainable approach to consumerism in the UK.
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