WRAP have announced that their 17th annual Recycling Week will go ahead this month as planned from 21st-27th September 2020.
People and planet will also be at the heart of this year’s ‘Together – We Recycle’ theme, taking the opportunity to thank the nation for their fantastic recycling efforts throughout lockdown and motivating them to keep on doing the right thing, for our environment and our communities.
First staged in 2004, Recycle Week is now the UK’s largest national annual recycling campaign. It is the week where the public, operators, media, local governments, and brands come together to meet one goal: to galvanise everyone into recycling more of the right things, more often.
The coronavirus pandemic has vastly changed the course of many plans we had for 2020 on a global scale. From an environmental perspective there were huge plans in place across the foodservice industry from reducing the use of single-use plastic packaging and straws to improving the recyclability of necessary packaging.
Once the pandemic hit the highest priority for us all was our safety and hygiene which has resulted in more use of disposable, single-use PPE, and packaging. The lockdown and measures specific to the hospitality and catering industry has also resulted in a large increase in takeaway and delivered operations and therefore the amount of packaging being taken or delivered offsite has naturally increased.
Removing the use of certain types of packaging is not always possible within your establishment, especially under the current circumstances. However, it is important to utilise recyclable materials where possible and encourage customers to recycle the packaging they take or are delivered offsite. Utilising the national activity around Recycle Week to increase awareness and educate your customers about what packaging they can recycle and encourage them to do so is a fantastic opportunity.
GETTING BEHIND RECYCLE WEEK WILL:
– Show your customers and employees that you are taking a stand on what matters to them and an issue that is critical for the nation
– Generate positive publicity and media coverage for your establishment – Show to take CSR seriously; you walk the walk not just talk the talk
– Help you engage your local communities around a positive national initiative
For more information on how you can get involved visit wrap.org.uk/
