New recycling website should help to cure companies’ ignorance

The new Waste Connect website, which was launched last week, has links with all the local councils throughout the UK, and, as a result, contains up-to-date information on all recycling collection points, Suzanne Wilkinson, Head of Marketing at Waste Connect told edie. “We’ve set up the definitive UK recycling database,” she said, pointing out that the service is a solution for companies who are now obliged by law to give information on the recycling of packaging to their customers.

A telephone survey carried out on 13 and 14 March by five Waste Connect researchers found that the vast majority of the largest retailers in the UK were unaware of both the location of recycling facilities, and of their obligation to provide such information. However, although only 8% of companies could provide information on recycling for their packaging, those companies mostly had a real commitment to helping their consumers, says Waste Connect. The organisation intends to carry out a similar survey every three months.

The new Waste Connect website contains information on all types of recyclable waste, from aluminium foil and asbestos, to the Yellow Pages, as well as the more traditional bottles and cans. Users of the website need to fill in their post code, and click on the type of waste that they wish to dispose of. They will then be provided with a list of the nearest recycling points, their addresses, a map, and the distance from their home.

“We’ve had some excellent feedback,” said Wilkinson. “And we’ve shown [the website] to industry. It’s all been very positive.”