UK – RECOUP has partnered with Peterborough-based environment charity PECT to create the PECT Bring it Back Toolkit.
The new toolkit is designed for businesses and communities to help address the growing problem of single-use packaging by encouraging returnable packaging schemes.
It features instructions for setting up and managing a reusable packaging scheme and tips to communicate new scheme/s to audiences, which is typically a major hurdle in initiating successful recycling behaviors.
The toolkit also advises on the business case for understanding how efforts can reduce waste and save money and case studies showcasing the benefits of reusable packaging schemes, from single-use waste reduction to customer loyalty.
The project was developed following a range of behavior change pilots which tested the barriers and enablers to successfully launch a reusable packaging scheme in different locations, including schools, community hubs, offices and café networks.
It is one of six projects around the UK funded by Hubbub and Starbucks’ Bring It Back Fund, which was set up to fund solutions and systems for sustainable packaging in the food and drink industry.
PECT CEO Stuart Dawks commented: “The toolkit is a fantastic starting point for any organization looking to start a reusable packaging scheme.”
The charities are inviting communities and businesses across the UK to use the toolkit with the goal of reducing waste throughout the nation.
Currently, an average UK household throws away nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging a year, according to a survey by Greenpeace.
The results of one of the largest voluntary research projects into the scale of plastic waste show that only 12% of the single-use packaging used by households is sent for recycling.
Greenpeace asked households to count their plastic waste during one week in May. Nearly 250,000 people from almost 100,000 households took part and sent their results to Greenpeace and fellow NGO Everyday Plastic.
By far the largest proportion of plastic waste was from food and drink packaging – 83% – with the most common item being fruit and vegetable packaging.
While the UK government publishes data on the weight of plastic waste being collected from households, there are no official figures about the number of plastic items being thrown away.
So, the research, known as the Big Plastic Count, is being seen as providing significant insight into the scale of single-use plastic packaging waste.
