By Dr Ross Headifen, Biogone
Transparency needs to be at the forefront of any conversation when it comes to claims about recycled plastic content in products – especially as we start along the journey of moving to a circular economy. With the emphasis on incorporating recycled materials into plastic products intensifying, it is essential to avoid confusing or misleading claims that could affect end users.
Governments are establishing recycling targets, and the concept of the circular economy is gaining traction. This creates an incentive to prominently feature ‘contains recycled content’ on labels. Not only does this appeal to consumers who wish to make environmentally responsible choices, it also places increasing pressure on manufacturers to demonstrate compliance with established sustainability goals.
The term recycling is becoming increasingly complex as more emphasis is put on incorporating less virgin material and more reclaimed materials from post use. Across the gamut of manufacturers and users there are claims on packaging like ‘recyclable’, or on company websites terms such as ‘we recycle our waste’. They are all vying for the green benefit of appearing to be doing the right thing with respect to avoiding making waste. All good actions, but those are the easy actions. None of these claims deal with using previously used material to make new similar materials, which is the definition of recycling.
We also want to shift the paradigm from the idea that plastic recycling is taking plastic waste, and instead of sending to back to original manufacturers, is being repurposed into other down cycled applications such as garden furniture or road base. This is repurposing the plastic waste not recycling it in the circular economy.
Read more: Why landfilling plastics will be here for a while – Ross Headifen Biogone
When evaluating claims regarding recycled content on labels, transparency regarding the source of that material is crucial. This openness enables consumers to understand what they are purchasing and to assess how products labelled as ‘contains recycled content’ compare against one another.
Recycled material can be separated into two categories:
1. Post Consumer material (PCR). This is really what most general consumers think of when they hear contains recycled content. They think their plastic bags and wrappers they have taken the time and effort to put into a recycling bin, have been sent to a place where new products are made from them. This is the form of recycling that has the best benefits to the environment. It is plastic waste being reclaimed and not sent to landfills or let loose as litter. It helps with the reduction in use of virgin plastic material.
2. Post Industrial material (PIR). This is where factories collect the off cuts and scrap they make within when manufacturing a product line and re-process it so it can be fed back into the production machines again to produce more product. It is recycling within the factory. Unlike PCR, this recycled material has never seen any consumer use but is still a valid use of the factory’s plastic scrap. But it is not spurring the consumer to recycle or manufacturers to seek out PCR material as their inputs.
What is needed are standardised icons that everyone will recognise immediately as to what the source of the recycled material is. Two such symbols are proposed. They both show the circularity of the process but clearly indicate the different sources of the recycled material.
Having such readily visible symbols will promote increased usage of PCR material and thereby drive the circular economy even stronger.
We are at the cusp of the circular economy, making it imperative to establish clear and transparent claims regarding circular economy plastic materials. Now is the time to proactively address potential greenwashing associated with ‘contains recycled content’ claims aimed at increasing sales.
The circular economy offers a promising solution to many of our plastic waste challenges while safeguarding our environment and oceans. Greater awareness among consumers and governments will enhance consumer’s purchasing decisions and exert pressure on manufacturers to accurately label recycled content in their products. Implementing PCR content requirements will be essential to advancing the circular economy.
This will necessitate that manufacturers display a PCR logo on their labels, thereby requiring them to source certified PCR materials.
Dr Ross Headifen is a co-owner of Biogone