New recycling logo

A new packaging recycling logo, first introduced in December of last year, is in the process of being rolled out across the UK.

The initiative to replace multiple recycling logos with a single one was undertaken by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

It is hoped that an industry-wide logo will allow better understanding of recycling among consumers. The task of labelling packaging as recyclable is hindered by the fact that no nationwide recycling system exists. The new, standardised logo shows whether packaging is widely recycled (by more than 65 per cent of local authorities), sometimes recycled (by between 20 and 65 per cent of authorities) or rarely recycled (by fewer than 20 per cent of authorities).

A BRC spokesman commented: "There have been various recycling logos around in the past. But there has not been a universally accepted one that all customers understand. There usually has been a range of approaches to it which has been confusing. Whereas this new logo will offer a standardised approach. A lot of packaging material can be recycled and still consumers are not actually recycling it."