last word
The last WORD
The importance of truthful labelling
A look at the usefulness of the On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) By Bob Gordon
Bob Gordon is Head of Environment at the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
The On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) is a world first. It appears on products to tell consumers which packaging is actually collected for recycling rather than what is hypothetically recyclable. Launched in March 2009 by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and supported by WRAP, the Government delivery body on waste, the scheme welcomed over 100 members during its first two years and is already used on over 60,000 product lines. Members include large and small brands and retailers, operating across grocery, DIY, healthcare, fashion and electronics.
T
he label provides information to consumers regarding whether or not an item of packaging is easily
recycled in the UK. It increases recycling rates by communicating which materials are currently collected and it improves the quality of materials recovered by helping householders understand what should be included. The three core labels are: Not
Currently Recycled – Fewer than 15% of local authorities collect at kerbside, Check Local Recycling – 15% to 65% of local authorities collect at kerbside, Widely Recycled – collected at kerbside in at least 65% of local authorities. Two additional categories have
recently been added to provide information to consumers regarding
34 Packaging Gazette
collections away from the home. The first, in order to reflect a
significant development concerning plastic films, the On Pack Recycling Label has launched a new label for certain thin plastics, which states ‘Recycle with carrier bags at larger stores: Not at kerbside’. Asda, the Co- operative Group, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose will all now accept certain plastic films in their carrier bag collection points, of which there are more than 4,500 in major stores across the UK. It gives customers access to significant collection opportunities for a material that is not currently collected at the doorstep in the UK. The second category, metal foils
and multi-material beverage cartons, are both collected by over 65% of local authorities in the UK, but the number doing so at the doorstep has not yet reached the level required for the “widely recycled” OPRL to apply. To provide information to consumers regarding how to dispose of these types of packaging, a separate label has been designed which states ‘Widely recycled at recycle points: check locally for kerbside’. The OPRL has been publicly
endorsed by a number of private and public sector bodies, including all of the UK governments. It is developing all the time to reflect UK recycling progress and the membership base keeps growing. As a familiar and easily understood tool for communicating with consumers, it clearly has a bright future ahead of it.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the lead trade association for the UK retail industry. Bob is responsible for leading on environmental issues, notably waste and carbon emissions. Bob produces the annual progress report for the retail sector climate change initiative, A Better Retailing Climate. Bob is also Director of the On Pack Recycling Label scheme which increases household recycling rates through standardised messaging for consumers concerning packaging disposal. Launched two years ago, the label has become the standard means to communicate packaging recyclability in the UK.
For more information, visit
www.oprl.org.uk.
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