Make recycling ‘cool’ and change minds

BIR’s latest convention heard a call to recyclers to be more proactive in promoting their industry from a producer whose films on the importance of recycling have been widely acclaimed.

John Sacco, president and owner of Sierra International Machinery, took part in one the opening sessions at the biannual event in Amsterdam. He confirmed that his ‘Repurposed’ series on YouTube, in which Sacco stars, had been taken up by Amazon Prime and the broadcasts should secure a wider audience.

Asked by chairman Michael Lion what could be done to boost the message about recycling, Sacco said everyone in the room – as well as the wider industry – could play a part in changing the narrative.

‘It’s the journey I’m on and I hope a lot of you will come along. Our industry is the first step in manufacturing and without a strong recycling materials industry, manufacturing globally is in big trouble.’

Lion also asked how important it was to engage with celebrities and ‘influencers’. ‘Engaging with these type of people is vital,’ Sacco replied. ‘They are influencers to other people who will grow up to be in our industry or know of it. If U2 knew they couldn’t do a show without our industry, that changes perception.’

Sacco also argued that politicians should be ‘brought onside’ because regulators would then become more aware that the politicians wanted the industry to succeed and would put in place more realistic rules and regulations. He added that many politicians who had seen ‘Repurposed’ conceded they had no idea how the recycling industry operated.

‘When you can get the politicians to say to the regulator “work with the industry”, that’s the step we need.’

Another strategy was making the industry ‘cool’, he argued. ‘People want to join forces with something positive in their lives and realising “Hey, I’m working in the recycling materials industry and we’re saving the environment”, they want to come and join that team.’