Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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New push for recycling in public places
People will soon find it easier to recycle when they're out and about, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock pledged today.
'Recycle on the Go' is a new drive to put accessible recycling bins in public places. And it's already started, with The Royal Parks rolling out a recycling bin pilot in Hyde Park over the next three months.
A good practice guide and a code of practice will help those responsible for public places to make recycling easy and accessible. Wherever possible bins will feature the familiar Recycle Now signage so people can easily identify where and how to recycle their cans, bottles and paper.
Visiting Hyde Park to launch Recycle on the Go, Environment Minister Joan Ruddock, said:
"We need to take recycling beyond the office and home into our public spaces - that's what this initiative is about.
'We know that most canned and bottled drinks are consumed outside the home, when people are out and about. Even the most dedicated recycler is unlikely to take these home with them and add them to their household recycling. Often, the only responsible option is to put them in litter bins, and this means that large quantities of aluminium, plastic and glass are slipping through the net and effectively become rubbish, end up in landfill, and are lost as a resource.
'Recycle on the Go is about making recycling a natural part of everyday life no matter where people are. But the bigger issue here is about a pushing a behaviour change around how people dispose litter when they're away from the home.
'It's especially fitting that Recycle on the Go is being launched during Recycle Week, when the spotlight is on giving an extra push to our recycling efforts.'
Colin Buttery, Deputy CEO of The Royal Parks said:
'Recycle on the Go is an excellent way to encourage greener waste management in public places. Building on the success of our recycling programme at events, the new code of practice is further informing the Royal Parks' approach to our recycling pilot in Hyde Park.'
Notes for Editors:
1. Recycle on the Go consists of a Voluntary Code of Practice on public place recycling; and a Good Practice Guide. These are available from http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/recycleonthego/
2. The Voluntary Code of Practice sets out key principles for managers of public places who want to offer facilities for recycling in public areas. It can apply to locations managed by public and private bodies; and sites that are indoors and outdoors to which the public has access. This voluntary code can be signed up to at http://www.recyclenowpartners.org.uk
3. The Good Practice Guide contains advice on setting up public place recycling schemes, information about setting up schemes that suit particular circumstances, and guidelines on using the Recycle Now iconography on recycle bins in public places. For more information on Recycle Now iconography, see http://www.recyclenowpartners.org.uk
4. The launch of Recycle on the Go follows a 2007 Defra consultation (in association with Encams and Recycle Now) with public-place managers, to find out whether they support public place recycling and to consult on proposed guidance and use of Recycle Now signage. The consultation found strong support for the Code of Practice principles and the Good Practice Guide, and use of the Recycle Now iconography. Information on who was consulted and the outcome of the consultation is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/recyclebins/index.htm
5. WRAP research carried out in 2007 shows that two-thirds of consumers recognise the Recycle Now brand, and three-quarters of local councils already us it in some way. Recycle on the Go is simply encouraging better use of what is already in place.
6. Recycle Week runs from June 2-8. For more information contact Susan Nisbet at WRAP on 01295 819 677.
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