Dive Brief:
- Trade association the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and Earth911, a media company encouraging zero waste, released the results of a poll conducted to understand why plastics recycling is confusing for consumers.
- Overall, the poll shows that 65% of respondents simply just don’t understand what is acceptable when it comes to recycling plastics through curbside collection. That leads to people tossing plastics into the trash that could have been recycled.
- The general takeaway is: More needs to be done to eliminate a number of unclear protocols surrounding plastics recycling. ISRI is working to clarify recycling practices through the development of plastic scrap specifications, hosting educational workshops and collaborating with stakeholders to address confusion surrounding resin 1-7 code numbers.
Dive Insight:
According to the poll, the main reason behind the confusion is that 37% of people don't know what amount of food contamination is acceptable on containers, leaving many to simply toss containers into the trash. 28% do not understand which types of plastics their municipality accepts. 18% do not know where to recycle their plastics, while 17% do not understand the meaning of the recycling numbers. The designated numbers were actually never meant to serve as a guide for consumers, and ISRI is partnering with ASTM, a global standards organization, to redefine the resin identification codes.