The On-Pack Recycling Label Scheme

Jane Milne, Director, On-Pack Recycling Limited

Who is OPRL Ltd?• A not-for-profit company wholly owned by the British Retail Consortium

• Supported by technical advice and research by the independent Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP)

• WRAP also provides monitoring, compliance and technical advice to members under a service agreement with OPRL

Why yet another label?• Consumers are frustrated and

confused about what packaging can and cannot be recycled

• Consumers are looking for much clearer on-pack guidance to improve their understanding

• The On-Pack Recycling Label scheme aims to deliver simple, UK-wide, consistent recycling message on packaging to help consumers recycle more material, more often

Why yet another label?• UK household

recycling rates have improved

• But the UK is still lagging behind other EU states

• Landfill charges will cost local authorities £4bn pa by 2013 if no significant improvement

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Who should join?• Anyone placing consumer packaging on

the UK market, including manufacturers and producers of:– Food and drinks– Consumer products– Cleaning and laundry products– Beauty products – Toys and games– DVDs and electronic games

• Retailers with own brand lines

Why join the OPRL?• Many retailers and manufacturers

committed to greening operations, including increasing own recycling and recycled content of packaging

• UK businesses could save up to £6.4 billion each year through greater resource efficiency

• Participation demonstrates commitment to increasing UK recycling rates through clear recycling messaging

Services to scheme members

(i) six-monthly reports including statistics

(ii) point of contact for dealing with general queries and complaints

(iii) bespoke technical advice on any new and complex packaging components and formats

(iv) implementation and design advice on the Guidelines for Use

Widely recycled

• Materials that can be commonly recycled

• At least 65% of local authorities offer relevant recycling facilities at kerbside and/or Household Waste Recycling Centres or Bring Banks

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Check local recycling

• For materials that can be recycled but for which facilities vary

• Recycling offered by 15% to 65% of local authorities

• Consumers encouraged to check local services before attempting to recycle

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Not currently recycled• For materials not

yet readily recyclable

• Facilities offered by fewer than 15% of local authorities

• Consumers may spontaneously raise queries but no prompt to do so

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Updating LA recycling information

• Local Authorities can update their recycling information by logging onto:

www.recycle-more.co.uk/la/rms_login.aspx• Editing your recycling data will

automatically update the Recycle Now website

• Changes to kerbside schemes should also be emailed to LGS@wrap.org.uk

Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

• On-pack Recycling Label is a UK-wide scheme

• Data is representative of the whole UK• Consumers outside England visiting

www.recyclenow.com automatically redirected to:

• Scotland - www.sort-it.org.uk• Wales - www.recyclenow.com with a link to

www.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk• Northern Ireland - www.recyclenow.com

Political Reactions

• An Early Day Motion has been signed by 37 MPs of all parties welcoming the launch

• UK Environment Ministers support the scheme

• LGA broadly support the scheme

www.onpackrecyclinglabel.org.uk