Consumers are under increasing pressure to recycle more of their waste and they are seeking clarification regarding which products can be recycled.  Often the labels on the packaging do not accurately help.

The presence of what apprears to be a recycling symbol does not necessarily mean that the product or material will be accepted  in our kerbside collection scheme at Braintree.  For more information on what can be recycled in the Braintree District please click on the link below:

- What can I recycle in the Braintree District

Producers are increasingly manufacturing their goods for a European or Worldwide market and are obliged to include a variety of potentially misleading symbols.  Consumers should also be aware that some symbols are not for their benefit, but for the waste handling and disposal industry.

The symbols broadly fall into three categories:

- Indicates that a material or item can be recycled (where facilities exist)

- Indicates the type of material that the product is made of

- Indicates compliance with a recognised compliance scheme

The Mobius Loop

 The internationally-recognised recycling symbol is the 3 chasing arrows icon, the Mobius Loop.  Each arrow represents an aspect of a successful recycling programme: collection, remanufacturing / reprocessing into a new product, and finally purchase by the consumer.  The symbol is only supposed to be used on goods that are 'recyclable' or include 'recycled content', but it has no precise meaning.  This symbol may be found on a broad range of products made of a variety of materials.

There are a number of symbols which commonly appear on packaging products.  Some of these indicate whether the item is recyclable, whilst others show the recycled material content.

Metals

Most beverage and food cans made from steel and aluminium can be recycled.  Look out for the following symbols:

Recyclable aluminium

   Recyclable steel

Both these symbols are material type as well as recycling.

Cardboard

A. B. C.

The above symbol (A), called the Mobius loop, is most commonly found on cardboard packaging and denotes that the item is recyclable.  If the centre of the loop contains a number (B), this means that the item is made from a certain percentage of recycled materials.  However, use of this symbol is voluntary.  Some goods contain recycled materials but do not carry this symbol.  Recycled content does not mean it is necessarily better for the environment and it is often inappropriate, particulary for packaging used for food toiletries and cosmetics.

A third ' recycled' symbol (C) is also in use.  This symbol diffrs from the first two by having solid black arrows within an outer black circle.  The outer black circle denotes that a least some content came from recycled material.  This symbol is also seen with arrows of a particular colour.

Another symbol often displayed on paper and cardboard packaging is the RESY recycling symbol.  This symbol guarantees that packaging with this symbol is recyclable and will be accepted by cardboard recyclers.

Glass

Whilst most glass containers are recyclable, this symbol reminds consumers to recylce glass jars and bottles, either at bottle banks or, where available, through kerbside collection schemes.

The symbol is material type as well as recycling.

Plastics

Plastic bottles, containers and packaging typically have a symbol that indicates the type of plastic resin which the item was made.  The resin coding system was introduced in 1988 by the American Society of Plastics Industry (SPI).  The symbols imprinted on plastic bottles, containers and packaging are a variation of the original three wide mobius arrows.  They have been modified to a simpler and thinner version.

On a bottle, the symbol can usually be found on the bottom, moulded into the plastic itself as a raised impression and thus not always easily seen.  The symbol included a number within the mobius arrows, and usually, but not always, the chemical resin below the mobius arrows in acronym form.

Although presence of the symbol implies that the plastic item is recyclable, the symbol is actually only intended to identify the plastic resin from which the item was made.  Recyclability is ultimately determined by the local collections and reprocessing facilities.

These types and their most common uses are shown below:

 Polyethylene terephthalate - Fizzy drink bottles and oven-ready meal trays.

 High-density polyethylene - Bottles for milk and washing-up liquids.

Polyvinyl chloride - Food trays, cling film, bottles for squash, mineral water and shampoo.

Low density polyethylene - Carrier bags and bin liners.

Polypropylene - Margarine tubs, microwaveable meal trays

Polystyrene - Yoghurt pots, foam meat or fish trays, hamburger boxes and egg cartons, vending cups, plastic cutlery, protective packaging for electronic goods and toys.

 Any other plastics that do not fall into any of the above categories. - An example is melamine, which is often used in plastic plates and cups.

NAPM Scheme

The NAPM (National Association of Paper Merchants) offers certification to all branded papers and boards which comply with it's definition of recycled paper.  The scheme was launched in 1990.  To be accorded the mark, the 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 (mill broke).

Genuine waste is defined by the scheme as:

Converters waste-paper which has left the mill and has become waste during a converting process such as cutting or slitting to meet a specific commercial order;

Printers' waste - printed or unprinted waste collected from a printing operation (trimmings, overs or rejects);

Domestic or office waste - collected from homes and offices printed or unprinted.

Blue Angel

This scheme is administered by thr German Quality Control Institute - RAL Deutsches Institut - and has been established since 1979.  For recycled paper to qualify for the mark, it must be made of 100% waste paper (tolerance 5%) and contain at least 51% low grade or medium grade scrap and wastes containing kraft (sulphate pulp) papers.  Recycled cardboard used for files should contain at least 30% low grade and meduim grade waste.  Other board products must contain 51% low grade and medium grade waste paper.  All must be made with 100% waste paper (tolerance 5%)

Stricter standards came into effect in 2002 and products previously bearing the emblem must reapply for the label and prove that they meet the more stringent criteria, which cover both the source material and the manufacuring process.  The specified minimum content of loe and medium waste paper grades has been increaded further; the use of optical whiteners is prohibited; and various chemical used for waste paper processing and in the production of recycled paper, canitary paper, recycling cardboard, and printing and newspaper is prohibited; and various chemicals used for waste paper processing and in the production of recycled paper, sanitary paper, recycling cardboard, and printing and newspaper may no longer be used. However, this will not mean a drop in quality.  Copying paper bearing the "Blue Angel" label meets the quality standards for copying paper as well as the requirements for durability.

The Blue Angel logo is awarded to other products, with the criteria varying according to product category.  The scheme is voluntary and, once products have been approved, manufacturers pay an annual fee for the use of the logo.

Nordic White Swan

This label was introduced by the Nordic Council of Ministers in 1989, to encourage production methods that create the minimum environmental impact.  It covers fine papers and soft tissue grades, but it does not necessarily imply that the product contains any recycled fibre.  The criteria are based on the environmental effects of the manufacturing process rather than the selection of raw material.  For further details contact the Swedish Standards Institution.

The Soil Association Symbol Scheme

The Soil Association symbol is a national independent quality mark (operating under EU Regulation No. 2092/91) for organically grown food and other products, such a compost.  The symbol is recognised by all major supermarkets and independent retailers.  It is awarded to farmers, growers, food processors, distributors, retailers  and industrial manufacturers who follow the standards laid down by the Soil Association.  It safeguards consumers from fraudulent trading and protects producers and manufacturers from unfair competition.

The European Ecolabel

The European Ecolabel was launched 10 years ago to avoid a proliferation of separate national schemes. Award of the label signals that the item meets 'rigorous environmental criteria and proper fitness for use', but it does not necessarily mean that a product contains any recycled content.  However, the criteria for soil improvers, which came into effect in April 1998, requires that the product's organic matter content is provided by constituents derived from the processing and / or re-use of waste materials.

Products featuring the Ecolabel should be becoming more widespread as manufacturers apply to be allowed to use the label on products which comply with the appropriate criteria.  These are based on a detailed life cycle analysis.  There are now many products bearing the logo on the EU market covering textiles, indoor paints and varnishes, tissue products (toilet rolls and kitchen paper), soil improvers and growing media, dishwashing detergents, hand dishwashing detergents, bed mattresses, copying paper, light bulbs, washing machines, dishwashing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, laundry detergents, footwear, and personal computers including portables.

The Green Dot

The Green Dot, or Grüne Punkt, on an item of packaging means that it complies with the German Packaging Ordinance for the return of consumer packaging.  The symbol can, in fact, be in any colour other than red.  It is administered by Duales System Deutschland GmbH, a non-profit organisation which was established to enable manufacturers and distributors to fulfil the requirements of the legislation. This shows that a fee has been paid for the recovery of the packaging in some European countries.

Recycle Now

The Recycle Now logo is increasingly being used in the UK to indicate that the product or material may be readily recycled.  The use of the logo and the wider promotion of recycling is managed by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme).  The symbol, and derivatives, are used extensively to encourage householder to recycle more of their waste and to indicate where recycling facilities are located.  However, this is still dependant upon local provision of facilities.