Opposition to mixing household recyclables

Archiv – Material reprocessing industries in the UK are worried about the increasing number of local authorities opting for recycling collection systems that produce low-quality materials. United Kingdom | Material reprocessing industries in the UK are worried about the increasing number of local authorities opting for recycling collection systems that produce low-quality materials. In response, the industry has launched a Campaign for Real Recycling in co-operation with the community recycling sector and environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth.
The campaigners are calling on government and local authorities urgently to review and improve the quality of recycling across the UK. They are concerned that the use of systems that collect a range of materials and compact them together could permanently erode the environmental benefits of recycling and undermine public support.
Chris White of Paperchain comments: �The problem is caused by mixing all materials in one bag or bin, and then trying to sort them at a recycling facility. Although these companies do their best, the approach makes achieving high-quality materials suitable for reprocessors virtually impossible�.
The new campaign urges the UK�s Environment Department publicly to support greater separation of materials at the kerbside as the best approach to the collection of recyclables.