The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has welcomed a new report from recycling and waste management company Viridor which highlights the need for a more consistent approach to recycling from local councils.
In the 2017 UK Recycling Index report, 78% of consumers reported that they believe their local council should be responsible for recycling. Additionally, 71% of consumers think that if there was a consistent recycling collection system around the UK, it would increase recycling rates, with two-thirds (66%) of UK consumers now frustrated that different councils collect waste in different ways (this is an increase of 3% from 2016).
Research conducted by Populus on behalf of ACS in March this year showed that 70% of consumers favour their existing household collections over other methods of recycling such as deposit return schemes.
ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “We welcome the findings of the Viridor report which tally with our own research that shows that kerbside collections are the most popular method for consumers to recycle their waste packaging. However, it is clear that the inconsistencies with kerbside collections must be addressed by local councils to help consumers recycle more.”
Other key findings from the report include:
• less than half of consumers (44%) are willing to pay for a deposit return scheme for plastic bottles;
• only 4 in 10 (43%) now feel very confident that they put different waste in the right bins; and
• less than one in five (16%) feel recycling labelling on product packaging is very easy to understand.
Lowman added: “It is clear that UK consumers are divided about the merits of a deposit return scheme. Introducing DRS would have a significant negative impact on the convenience sector, costing stores money, reducing the amount of space in stores and causing delays at the till for those who would have to manage the scheme manually. We will continue to work with the Government to explain the retail impact of a deposit return scheme.”
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