Getting real about recycling

This year, #RecycleWeek has challenged us to Get Real About Recycling, and tackle some of the myths which surround the topic head-on. We’ve been speaking with our Head of Recycling, Jack Deeves , to get the inside track on what can often be a confusing subject.

What are the biggest myths or misunderstandings about recycling?

Two of the key areas for me are around the materials which can be recycled, and what happens to these materials once they’ve gone into our recycling bins. When it comes to materials, there’s an assumption that all plastics are bad and shouldn’t be sent to recycling facilities in case they end up being disposed of incorrectly.

First and foremost, we don’t view plastic as waste – to us it’s a commodity, and more types of plastic can be recycled than people often think. As long as manufacturers use the right kind of plastic in their packaging, it can be reused and recycled multiple times, and doesn’t need to be destined for landfill or other forms of disposal.

It’s also easy to be cynical about how effective the recycling process is. We do occasionally hear of rogue traders disposing of materials illegally, but there are also really robust controls in place to stop this happening such as the Basel Convention.

What happens to our waste once it reaches a recycling facility?

Cory manages several recycling facilities across London, including the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Smugglers Way where we receive, sort and segregate dry mixed recyclables. This is our largest facility and received over 70,000 tons of recyclables last year.

Once we receive the recyclables at Smugglers Way, we sort them into 15 different categories including six types of plastic. When the materials have been sorted and graded, they are then sold back to packaging processors.

How do you make sure the materials are dealt with in the right way?

This is a hugely important part of what we do. Ultimately, we aim for as much recyclable material to be processed in the UK as possible, although sometimes market conditions don’t allow this. That’s why we have clear policies in place which mean that we never export anything outside of Europe.

Our team also works hard throughout the year to audit the facilities where we send recyclables, and we carry out detailed duty of care checks with any new supplier we sign a contract with.

How can we make sure that recycling rates in the UK continue to grow?

As we all know, this isn’t a simple issue, and we need to work as hard as possible to simplify it where we can. In practice, an obvious place to start would be ensuring that waste collections are consistent across the country, supported by continued investment in recycling infrastructure to ensure that we can capture and recycle the waste that we produce. Clear communication with consumers is also crucial, and campaigns like Recycle Week are a great place to start.??

Find out more about the reality of recycling here: Let's Get Real About Recycling | Recycle Now