“Recycle”, “Don’t recycle”: Simplifying packaging
12th February 2020
On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL), the UK’s leading recycling labelling authority, of which over 400 retailers and cross-sector brands are members, has launched new rules to simplify recycling labels. The majority of packaging will now carry a simple, binary message saying “Recycle” or “Don’t Recycle”, and labels that advise shoppers to “check locally” whether a product is recyclable will largely disappear. The changes are to be introduced by the packaging industry, food manufacturers and retailers in response to concerns that the existing system results in recycling bins becoming contaminated with non-recyclable waste. The idea is that the simplified labelling will assist consumers’ split-second decisions whether to recycle and will ensure that more packaging gets into the recycling system.
