Recycling awareness – UK vs Australia?

• Mar. 18 by Rebekah Douglas (3)

Are Australian governments doing more to encourage recycling than here in the UK?

Councils and Planet Ark, a recycling organisation in Australia which promote the event, are already making plans for this years National recycling week which is due to take place from 9^th – 15^th November 2009.

The week aims to get everyone involved and raise awareness on how to ‘recycle right.

‘After the success of last years NRW in November 2008, it is said that a huge 90% of Australians recycle, but Planet Ark claim, ‘there is always room for improvement and so much more that we can do to reduce our impact on the environment, at home, at work and in the community.’ (http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/involvement/)

An evaluation of effective the NRW in 2008 has been released and shows that the week produced plenty of positive outcomes.

The evaluation states that the week was successful in,

‘Achieving an overwhelmingly positive response for Planet Ark’s resources by councils from around the country; Allowing kids and teachers to access fun and useful information on recycling; and generating extensive, and high profile, media stories that encourage people to Recycle Right.’ (http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/about/evaluation.cfm)

The questions is, are we doing enough here in the UK to achieve the same success?

With recycling rates growing higher every year, the UK is certainly heading in the right direction to becoming a more successful eco friendly country.

MRW (Material Recycling week magazine) have recently announced that,

‘Fife is the first council to commit to halving construction waste sent to landfill by 2012 under a cross sector agreement organised by the Waste & Resources Action Programme.’ (http://www.mrw.co.uk/page.cfm/action=Archive/ArchiveID=18/EntryID=5229)

This means good news for the UK as this is the first major step to reducing a significant amount of construction waste in landfills. The council are based in Scotland and also have aims of, ‘achieving and exceeding zero waste to landfill by 2012.’

Recycling rates are also on the increase in Birmingham due to household recycling centres. A source by William Hopkins told us,

‘July 2005 saw the launch of ‘National Big Recycle Week’ and a Government call to increase household recycling levels. Just 14.5 per cent of domestic waste was recycled in 2002/3. Birmingham recycled 58,540 tonnes of waste in 2003/4, 28,922 tonnes of which was paper (City Council figures).’

Hopkins also claimed that,

‘Benmore residents have recycled over 8 tonnes of waste since 2003, so I feel that Brumcan has been pretty successful on my estate.’ (http://www.birminghamfoe.org.uk/newslet/news0805/STORY_7.HTM)

This shows that all areas of the UK are making improvements that can compete with Australia’s efforts to encourage and improve waste and recycling.

MRW work alongside RWM (Recycle and Waste Management Exhibiton) to bring the latest environmental news from across the UK.

‘Since 1912, Materials Recycling Week (also as Waste Trade World and Materials Reclamation Weekly) has published weekly news, features and pricing information. Its current focus is on the recycling and waste management sector in particular, materials reprocessing, waste management and collection, retail waste and recycling, construction waste and recycling.’ (http://www.mrw.co.uk/page.cfm/Link=1)

MRW are the most well established form of media that promote and provide news concerning waste management in the UK. Those who wish to become more serious about their environmental duties should visit www.mrw.co.uk for more information. The magazine is also set to cover RWM next exhibition taking place on 15^th – 17^th September 2009 at the NEC Birmingham. Visit http://www.rwmexhibition.com/ to find out more.