Thursday 15 March 2012

Stamp it! - Recycle Now - Symbols

Nine out of ten households now have a kerbside collection, so check the postcode locator to find out what you can recycle in your area.  Remember, 73% of packaging can currently be recycled in England but we only recycle 33%, so there’s room for improvement!
Numerous labels appear on packaging to advise consumers and promote environmental claims. To ensure these claims are accurate, a set of international standards have been developed known as the Green Claims Code, and is issued by the British Standards Institute.
To help you understand all the symbols you might see, take a glance at the guide below...

The Recycle Mark

Recycle Now SymbolThe Recycle Mark is a call for action. Please try and recycle whenever possible. If you are unsure if the item is collected locally, check the postcode locator.

The new packaging symbols

New packaging symbols are now starting to appear on some packaging. They help to identify how different parts of packaging can be recycled.
On Pack Symbol
“Widely Recycled” means 65% of people have access to recycling facilities for these items.
“Check locally” means 15% - 65% of people have access to recycling facilities for these items.
“Not recycled” means less than 15% of people have access to recycling facilities for these items.
These symbols are a guide to how widely different packaging items are recycled, however you should always follow the advice of your local authority.  Check thepostcode locator and see what you can recycle in your area.

The Green Dot

Green dot symbolThe Green Dot does NOT necessarily mean that the packaging can be recycled. It is a symbol used on packaging in many European countries and signifies that the producer has made a contribution towards the recycling of packaging.

Plastics

PET SymbolIdentifies the type of plastic: PET and HDPE bottles are recycled by the majority of local authorities.

Glass

Glass SymbolPlease dispose of glass bottles and jars in a bottle bank (but remember to separate colours) or use your glass kerbside collection if you have one.

Recyclable Aluminium

Aluminium SymbolCan be placed in an aluminium recycling facility.

Recyclable Steel

Steel SymbolCan be placed in a steel recycling facility.

Mobius Loop

Mobius Loop SymbolIndicates that an object is capable of being recycled - not that the object has been recycled.

Mobius Loop with percentage

Mobius Loop Percentage SymbolShows the percentage of recycled material contained in the product.

Paper

NAPM SymbolTo be given the National Association of Paper Merchants mark, paper or board must be made from a minimum of 75% genuine waste paper and / or board fibre, no part of which should contain mill produced waste fibre.

Other labels

Other labels you might see on packaging include: 

Wood

FSC SymbolThe Forest Stewardship Council logo identifies products which contain wood from well managed forests independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC A.C.

Tidyman

Tidyman SymbolDispose of this carefully and thoughtfully. Do not litter. This doesn’t relate to recycling, but is a reminder to be a good citizen, disposing of the item in the most appropriate manner.

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