RECOUP’s Pledge2Recycle Plastics has joined forces with Durham County Council to launch a County wide plastics recycling communications and education project. This initiative aims to encourage more County Durham residents to embrace recycling and elevate the quality of plastics packaging recycled in the region through household collections.

Videos have been developed to demonstrate the journey of plastics packaging and its recycling processes within the region. By educating residents on the recycling process, the initiative seeks to enhance awareness about the significance of recycling instructions and the positive impact individuals can have on the environment through sustained recycling behaviours.

The team have been attending a variety of events throughout the summer including engagements with local leaders, schools, as well as high profile community events. Anne Hitch, Business and Project Development Lead commented “Research has cited that citizens lack of knowledge and understanding of the recycling process can form a barrier to positive recycling behaviours. This project aims to provide information on what plastics are recycled and how on a regional level. Citizen confusion is alleviated through communications with a focus on the recycling questions most frequently asked.”

A new website www.durhamrecycles.co.uk aligns with Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle waste hierarchy model, emphasising the importance of reducing waste generation, reusing materials where possible, and recycling plastics to promote a circular economy. Through their efforts, County Durham residents will be empowered to make informed choices that contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable environment.

Cllr Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We are pleased to be supporting Recoup and Pledge2Recycle Plastic’s education project. Each year, the average household uses over 1,000 items – from plastics to cans - but less than half of this is recycled. It’s important we recycle as much as we can because, for every item recycled, we reduce the need to use raw materials, helping save energy and resources.

“We do a lot of work within the county to make our residents aware of what can be recycled through our ‘What Goes Where’ campaign. RECOUP’s project supports this work in helping to build people’s confidence so that recycling rates increase, and more materials are reused rather than thrown away.”

Biffa, the UK’s leading sustainable waste management company, supported this initiative by providing access to their recycling and recovery facilities and video content that demonstrate what happens to recycling after it is put out for collection by residents.

Hannah Clifford, Strategic Development Manager, Biffa Polymers commented “At Biffa we know that recycling can be confusing, and we are great supporters of innovative projects like this to promote understanding and increase plastic recycling. By sorting their waste into the correct recycling bins, residents can play a vital role in ensuring valuable materials are captured and processed for recycling.”

The project is supported by Durham County Council, The British Plastics Federation, Biffa, and Marmax Recycled Products.