9 new ideas for future packaging

9 new ideas for future packaging

MAKING PRODUCTS FROM RECYCLED MATERIAL

MAKING PRODUCTS FROM RECYCLED MATERIAL

Packaging Recycling Process

Packaging Recycling Process

Ogilvy & Mather Colombia The real ice cold CocaCola Bottle

Design Museum

I learnt about an exhibition in Design Museum with particular focus on the future of design. The name of the exhibition itself is interesting: "Future was/is here". The middle part was converting between two words using illuminating lights.
I spent my entire Sunday afternoon in this exhibition and whilst it was only covering one floor of the museum, it was so content reach and amazing that it took me long time reading all about different aspects of the exhibition.

I am going to write about some of the exhibited projects which are related to my RSA project:'Future Packaging'

First exhibited project was about Opendesk. It was about visualising and feeling the data that you can download from the Internet and print them and use them as your furniture at home. Here is a summary of their work from designboom.com:

'opendesk is a collection of open source furniture, available on a non-traditional online marketplace, where all designs are digital files that can be downloaded for free through the creative commons licence. the brand approaches the creative community through the web, giving them the ability to acquire original work and have it produced by craftsmen in their area, or manufacture it personally. access to a CNC-machine allows for self-assembly, and opendesk’s growing network of local fabricators around the world are equipped with the knowledge and tools to make each product correctly and efficeintly. because the furniture originates from files, users can select the form in which they’d like to receive their table, stool, or desk and the degree in which they would want to be involved in the making process.'
Source: designboom.com

Second interesting project was done by Puma. This was around using biodegradable plastics and it can be something I can use for my future packaging concept. Here is what they shared about this work:

'After research showed that 57% of Puma’s environmental impact is related to the production of raw materials, the company looked at increasing the number of sustainable materials they use. InCycle collection is entirely biodegradable / recyclable and 100% Cradle-to-Cradle (approach to return modelled objects to the ecosystem) certified.
Well, looking from the very first sight, that is a great idea. It is all being made of materials being comprised of organic fibres without any toxic chemicals, i.e. we’re saving the planet and wear only ‘the natural’ recyclable products on our feet.'
Source: wordpress.com

I was also inspired by the cycle hiring scheme, which made me think about how packaging can be hired by consumers. This is what design museum signpost described about hiring schemes principles. 

'Transport hire scheme:
system such as London's Barclays Cycle Hire scheme demonstrate how leasing models can be very effective as part of an urban mass transit system. Lunched in Summer 2010, the scheme saw a rapid take up with a major expansion planned for 2014. scheme such as ZipVan and ZipCar have also demonstrated that similar principles can be successfully applied to vehicles as well as cycles.'
Source: Design Museum signpost

One other amazing project on display was Mo.Mo. This project demonstrated  how consumers would be able to see the products and information inside the packaging without virtual reality and just by augmented reality which is now more popular. Also this concept  would work when it comes to decide what part of packaging needs to be recycled and what part can be reused. 

 'Mo.Mo:
The Mo.Mo is a concept for a wearable molecule scanner connected to an intelligent system that tells you which of your belongings have materials that could be transformed into something new . It works as a part of a service that enable you to reinvent your possessions, rather than replace them.
The augmented reality app installed on the tablet computer can be used to give an indication of how material identification could work. By holding the tablet above the mobile phone an exploded view of the object appears listing the types and quantities of material contained in the object. this information could then be used to help decide which of our old or under used or possessions we could recycle to make produce new projects.'
Source: Design Museum signpost

 

Wandular was another concept that I came across. It is like a chip attached to the smartphone which makes such devices sustainable and enables longer use of the device. This concept can be potentially used in my 'Future Packaging'.
 
'Wandular

Like many new ideas WandULar was born out of a mixture of love and frustration. A love of technology and what it enables us to do, but a frustration with the current model of technological development. WandULar is an investigation into how we might overcome obsolescence in consumer electronics and see if its possible to develop a devices that evolves with you over your lifetime, ageing stylishly and staying up to date thanks to cloud downloads and hardware plugins. We wanted to explore a different vision to the one current espoused by the consumer electronics industry and help suspend disbelief about what is possible. And we've found that by rethinking how technology is ‘made’ and lengthening its lifespan it can have new emotional, sustainable, and financial benefits to people and business alike'

Source: lookupproject.org 

There was also a popular customised doll making website, Makies. The dolls are fully customised and made for each customer's taste. Head is more customisable with options for eyes, hair, nose, mouth whilst body has less features that can be customised. It showed me that customisation of packaging can play significant role to the success of the product. 

'Makies:
They are uniqze postable action dolls with face and features designed by their owners. using the Makies website or mobile app, customehave the power of choose not only what the face of their doll looks like-the eye, nose, jaw, smile, hair-but also what clothes it wears. With no age or gender stereotyping, Makies allow anyone to creat a unique toy in a style of their choosing.'
Source: Design Museum signpost

This is a diagram which illustrated a questionnaire about 3D printing and customized products.

I also saw a textile printer which I haven't seen before.  When I think about future, I imagine a 3D printer that makes textile by weaving very narrow material.

'TC-2 digital loom
design and developed by
Tronrud Engineering
This is a computer controlled hand loom specially developed for the designer/artist, ideal for rapid prototyping, customised designs, technical weaves and the production of high end textiles. the loom is a sketchpad for ideas and concepts, whether these are fine art or functional textiles.'
Source: Design Museum signpost

Near the exit gate of the exhibition I had a chance to see how some early versions of 3D Printers work. Also a very nice and motivated guy talked me through different 3D printers.  He showed me the cartridges for one of the 3D Printers, which are the skein of plastics.

VR Sites

blog.holition.com
holition.com
l2thinktank.com

Towards Zero Waste

This is the overarching waste strategy for Wales.

It sets out how we will build on the successes achieved through Wise About Waste and describes a framework for resource efficiency and waste management between now and 2050.
This is not a detailed action plan. Delivery actions will be developed in a series of sector plans that will follow.

The challenges we are facing

Towards Zero Waste has been developed to help us, in Wales, meet the following challenges:

• Sustainability - We want to develop sustainably by enhancing the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of people and communities.
• Ecological footprint - Ecological footprinting measures environmental impact. The management of our waste is responsible for around 15% of Wales’ ecological footprint.
• Climate Change - We need to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions produced from waste. Direct emissions are produced by the decomposition of biodegradable waste in landfill sites. Waste contributes around 4.7% of direct greenhouse gas emissions in Wales.
• Security of resources - We need to ensure we have enough resources, at an affordable price, to sustain our economy and way of life. By using resources more efficiently through waste prevention and high reuse and recycling rates, material security is improved and dependence on primary resources from outside the UK is reduced.

What it means for you

Towards Zero Waste is ambitious and challenging, but achievable. Changing the way we deal with waste in Wales will have huge benefits, for the environment, economy and our well-being.
Everyone in Wales has a role to play. The strategy outlines the actions we must all take if we are to reach our ambition of becoming a high recycling nation by 2025 and a zero waste nation by 2050.

Document Download

Towards Zero Waste (File size: 2.7MB)

Summary (File size: 251KB)

Post adoption statement of the sustainability appraisal (File size: 1.1MB) 

Source: wales.gov.uk 

Recycle Websites

recyclenow.com
recycle-more.co.uk

Waitrose: Reducing food waste

Reducing food waste

In 2012 ,Waitrose achieved it's aim to divert all food waste from landfill. Unavoidable food waste that is not fit for consumption is processed by anaerobic digestion to generate energy. Waitrose was the first national retailer to use anaerobic digestion as a viable solution for food waste. Surplus food that is fit for consumption is donated to local charities.. 
Charities wishing to benefit from the donations programme should contact their local branch in the first instance.
Each year, we throw away 7.2 million tonnes of food and drink in the UK. This costs each British household with children around £680 a year or up to £50 a month. Recent research by the Waste Resources and Action programme (WRAP) has shown that around a half of this food could have been eaten. The main reasons for this wastage appear to be we either cook or prepare too much, or we forget food and let it go off.
The majority of our food waste, like other household waste, ends up in landfill sites. But, with space expected to run out within the next 10 years, something has to be done now to reduce the waste we dispose of in this way. This waste also impacts our climate - as rubbish decays in landfill sites it produces methane, a greenhouse gas judged to have 20 times more impact on climate change than CO2.
As a signatory to the Courtauld Commitment, Waitrose is committed to tackling the challenge of food waste and has recently signed up to support delivery of a new WRAP target to reduce the amount of food wasted in UK homes. As part of this commitment, we are actively supporting WRAP’s consumer campaign ‘Love Food, Hate Waste’ http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/ (this link opens in a new window) by helping to raise awareness of the issue of food waste and providing practical information in store and online to help our Partners and customers reduce the amount of food they waste.

Waste not, want not
Here are just some of the ways Waitrose is already helping customers to get the most from the food that they buy, whilst reducing food wastage:
Clear on-pack information
In addition to information on food nutritional content, we provide clear guidance on the preparation, cooking and storage of the own-label food products we sell. This helps to ensure our customers make the most of the products they buy and enjoy them at their best.
We have recently reviewed all our back-of-pack labelling and have created new messaging designed to reduce duplication and give maximum legibility to this important information. This, we hope, will help customers to consistently locate the information most important to them.
Understanding date labels
We have given greater prominence and enhanced legibility to on pack date codes (eg ‘use by’, ‘best before’), to help our customers easily identify this information and assist our shop Partners with stock rotation. Our customers can also seek advice on specific products, including best consumption date information, through our Customer Careline

Portion control
Where possible, we indicate on pack a recommended serving size, as well as the total number of servings per pack. On some of our own-label packs we have also incorporated a measuring gauge to help customers more easily visualise portion size.
Functional packaging
During new product development, we constantly challenge our packaging solutions to ensure they are fit-for-purpose and ensure maximum shelf life without compromising product quality and safety. We endeavour not to add any packaging to a product other than that which is absolutely required. We also look for opportunities to provide and promote longer-term packaging solutions to food waste, for example by using reusable, resealable, or recloseable packaging.
Top tips on reducing food waste
1. Think before you shop - more than a third of us go shopping without a list.*

• Check what you have at home before you shop.
• Make a list - it saves time and money.
• Shop with meals in mind - you’ll end up throwing less away.

2. Use or lose your food - 60% of us end up throwing away food because it’s passed its ‘use-by’ date.*

• Plan your meals with the ‘use-by’ date in mind - it will save you money.
• Know your fridge - keep an eye on what’s inside. Be mindful of the perishable food you have and plan meals to fit in with their ‘use-by’ dates. This will prevent unnecessary waste.

3. Befriend your fridge - 70% of our fridges are set at too high a temperature.*

• Store food according to the instructions on pack - leaving food out of the fridge can cut the life of foods like milk, cooked meats and salad by up to 100%.
• Keep your fridge between 1-5°C - this helps you get the best from your food. If your fridge doesn’t indicate actual temperature, think about investing in a fridge thermometer.

4. Love your leftovers - more than half of households say they throw away food because they’ve cooked too much.*

• Using leftovers to make delicious meals is a smart way to ensure you eat everything you buy.
• Recipe for left over turkey: Turkey biryani with red onion and coriander.
• Recipe for left over sausages: Orecchiette pasta with a quick and easy creamy sauce.
• Recipe for left over cheese: Potted stilton with port

5. Feed your garden - on average over 70% of household waste is landfilled each year. Composting reduces the amount of rubbish you put out for collection and creates a free, nutritious fertiliser that will help make your garden more beautiful.

• Compost your kitchen and garden waste. Everything from uncooked vegetable scraps to fruit peelings, teabags, coffee grounds, eggshells and small amounts of paper and soft cardboard can be home composted.
•  
• Many councils sell home composters, often at a reduced cost. You can also buy compost bins from local garden centres and DIY stores. Visit Recycle Now http://www.recyclenow.com/ or Recycle More http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/ (these links open in new windows) for more information on home composting.

* Source of statistics: WRAP (they’ve in turn sourced the info from DEFRA, WHO and Waste Not, Want Not)
For more information on packaging reduction, waste and recycling at Waitrose and John Lewis visit the John Lewis Partnership  www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/ourresponsibilities (this link opens in a new window).

Environmentally Friendly Packaging Research for Lifetime Brands

coroflot.com

Waste Statistics

Packaging waste - producer responsibility regimes

The UK has a statutory producer responsibility regime for packaging. This places a legal obligation on businesses which make or use packaging (like raw materials manufacturers, converters, packer/fillers and sellers) to ensure that a proportion of the packaging they place on the market is recovered and recycled.

UK packaging waste recovery and recycling targets for 2013 to 2017

On 21 March 2012, as part of the Budget, new packaging targets for 2013 to 2017 were announced. These reflected the preferred option based on responses received from our consultation.
The targets apply to businesses under the Producer Responsibility Regulations.
They will ensure that the UK continues to meet EU Directive targets over the next 5 years.

Material	2012 (%)	2013 (%)	2014 (%)	2015 (%)	2016 (%)	2017 (%)
Paper/card	69.5	69.5	69.5	69.5	69.5	69.5
Glass	81	81	81	81	81	81
Aluminium	40	43	46	49	52	55
Steel	71	72	73	74	75	76
Plastic	32	37	42	47	52	57
Wood	22	22	22	22	22	22
Total recovery	74	75	76	77	78	79
Of which recycling	68.1	69	69.9	70.8	71.8	72.7

As these targets only apply to obligated businesses, the overall level of recycling and recovery will be lower.
From 2013, there will also be split targets for glass. The targets for individual businesses with an obligation in glass will be:

	2013 (%)	2014 (%)	2015 (%)	2016 (%)	2017 (%)
Proportion of glass that must come from remelt	63	63	63	64	64

Progress so far

In 2011 the UK disposed of an estimated 10.8 million tonnes of packaging waste, of which around 67% was recovered. In 1998 only 27% of packaging waste was recovered.

2011 recovery and recycling achievement data

	Total packaging waste arising (tonnes)	Total recovered/recyled (tonnes)	EU Target (%)	Recovery/recycling rate (%)
Paper	3,817,860	3,232,461	60	84.8
Paper composting		6,727
Glass	2,739,989	1,751,852	60	63.9
Aluminium	160,877	73,683		45.8
Steel	648,740	373,714		57.6
Metal		447,397	50	55.3
Plastic	2,515,809	609,910	22.5	24.2
Wood composting		442
Wood	1,023,939	600,276	15	58.7
Other	22,443
Total recycling		6,649,065	55	60.8
Energy from Waste		685,612
Total Recovery	10,929,657	6,641,896	60	67.1

Source: gov.uk

Packaging waste: producer and supplier responsibilities

Packaging designers

Everyone designing packaging must follow environmental regulations.

Keep it to a minimum

You must make sure that the packaging you design only has the minimum weight and volume needed to keep the product safe and hygienic.

Hazardous substances

Packaging must not contain high levels of noxious or hazardous substances.

Recyclable packaging

Recyclable packaging must be designed so that a certain percentage of the materials used are recyclable.

Packaging for energy recovery

Packaging designed to be disposed of through energy recovery (energy through burning materials) must contain at least 50% of organic materials that burn, eg paper, wood, cardboard.

Biodegradable packaging

Packaging designed for composting must be biodegradable.

Reusable packaging

Reusable packaging must be designed so that it can be used several times. After that is must meet the requirements for recycling, energy recovery or composting. 

Download ‘detailed guidance on packaging design’ (PDF, 134KB)

Source: business.wales.gov.uk

Waitrose: Reducing our packaging

Why is packaging important?
Packaging has a crucial role to play in reducing damaged products and preventing food waste. Each year, over 10 million tonnes of packaging is placed on the UK market. About half that amount goes to households, where it accounts for about 20% of the waste stream. The other half is used in the Commercial and Industrial sectors, where it accounts for about 10% of the waste stream. Source: WRAP

In addition to technical and commercial issues, there is clear regulation relating to packaging. If a business makes, fills, sells of handles packaging or packaging materials, then they must comply with packaging regulations.  Waitrose is a signatory of the Courtauld Commitment which was launched in July 2005 by the Government funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). By signing up to the Courtauld Commitment Waitrose has made a public commitment to support WRAP in delivering its waste prevention and resource optimisation objectives.
Over the past few years we have implemented a range of initiatives to use lightweight packaging, trial innovative packaging solutions and introduce more recycled and recyclable materials. One such initiative is the reduction of the thickness for all prepared salad and leaf plastic bags, which has been achieved without lowering quality or shortening the life of the product.
This enabled a 14.3% reduction in the weight of packaging used, as well as reducing the misting inside the bags and improved the quality of the seal. Smoked salmon packaging has also been reduced by 50%; the removal of paper labels on own-brand egg boxes is predicted to save 35 tonnes of packaging a year; and we have introduced wine bottles made from 60% recycled glass that deliver a 30% reduction in weight. The launch of essential Waitrose in 2009 saw the introduction of a number of lines with reduced packaging.

Plastic bags

Waitrose estimates that it gives away 257 million of the 12.4 billion free carrier bags handed out by UK retailers each year. Although a small percentage of the product packaging it handles each year, Waitrose is keen to reduce unnecessary bag use and was the first retailer to introduce a 'Bag for Life' in 1997. Sold to its customers for 10p, bags are replaced free of charge once worn out. All returned, worn out bags are recycled.
Despite the success of our Bags for Life, there are still many customers who use free disposable carrier bags. To encourage them to switch, we regularly run 'Bag for Life' promotions and awareness campaigns in our stores.
In December 2008, the UK Government, the British Retail Consortium and leading supermarkets agreed to a 50% cut in the number of single-use carrier bags given out to customers by spring 2009, measured against a 2006 baseline, in a bid to radically reduce the consumption of single-use carrier bags. Although collectively retailers gave away 420 million fewer single-use carrier bags in May 2009 than May 2006, a reduction of 48%, plastic bags are still a hot topic.

Through promoting our Bag for Life and other reusable bags, Partner training and prominent communications encouraging customers to reuse their existing bags, Waitrose reduced single-use carrier bag usage by 50% in May 2009 compared to May 2006. We remain committed to continuing to reduce their use and environmental impact.

Welsh carrier bags

In October 2011 the Welsh Assembly introduced legislation to dramatically reduce the number of single use carrier bags given away by retailers in Wales, and thereby:

• Helping to tackle climate change.
• Reducing litter.
• Protecting wildlife.
• Saving the natural resources that are used to make and distribute bags.
• Encouraging people to reuse their bags.

The legislation requires retailers to charge a minimum of 5p for single use carrier bags.
More information on the legislation can be found at www.wales.gov.uk
The Welsh legislation fits well alongside our wider work to promote the use of reusable bags, encourage sustainability and cut down on waste and litter. This is all part of the Waitrose Way philosophy of 'Treading lightly', and includes:

•  A large selection of reusable bags that can be purchased from our local stores.
• The choice of bagless delivery for all online orders.
• The facility for our drivers to take your used carrier bags away for recycling.

Waitrose Limited carrier bag record

For the period 7 April 2012 - 6 April 2013

Number of chargeable bags supplied	818165
Total amount received from the sale of the bags	£40,908.25
Total amount received from the 5p charge	£40,908.25
Net proceeds of the charge	£34,090.21

We donated the net proceeds equally to:

South East Wales Rivers Trust	£11363.41
The Brecon Beacons Trust	£11363.40
The Welsh Air Ambulance Charitable Trust	£11363.40

The difference of £6,818.04 between the total amount received from the sale of bags and the net proceeds of the 5p charge is made up of the following:

Amounts above 5p that customers paid for bags	£0.00
Costs incurred informing the public about the charge	Not deducted
Compliance costs	Not deducted
VAT	£6,818.04

We have not taken away any 'reasonable costs' from the net proceeds.

Shopping at Waitrose branches and petrol filling stations in Wales

If you do not have your own bags, you will be offered the choice of a Bag for Life that costs 10p or a single use carrier bag at 5p.

Shop in Branch, We Deliver

At the checkout you can choose to have your shopping delivered bagless, in your own carrier bags or you can purchase Waitrose carrier bags at the checkout.

• If you choose bagless your delivery will arrive in crates and the driver will take away the crates once the shopping has been unpacked. If you provide your own bags at the checkout then Waitrose will deliver your shopping in these bags.
• If you would like to purchase carrier bags at the checkout cashier will ask you how many bags you require. Waitrose will then charge 5p for each carrier bag requested.
• If you would like to reuse your own bags, simply hand them to the cashier who will use them to pack your shopping.

Shop Online, We Deliver

You can choose to have your online order delivered bagless, or in carrier bags.

• If you choose bagless, your delivery will arrive in crates, and once unpacked the driver will take away the crates.
• If you choose to have your delivery in carrier bags, Waitrose will charge 5p for every £13.86 of shopping ordered*.

Shop Online, You Collect

You can choose to have your collection bagless, or in carrier bags.

• If you choose to have a bagless collection, you will need to bring your own carrier bags to the branch. A Waitrose partner will then pack your order into your carrier bags.
• If you choose to have your collection already prepared in carrier bags, Waitrose will charge 5p for every £13.86 of shopping ordered*.

* We have developed this charging calculation after conducting research on more than 10,000 Waitrose online orders. Our data shows that an average carrier bag in a Waitrose online order contains £13.86 of shopping and this is the assumption we use to inform us how much to charge for carrier bags for your online order.
(Example: If you order £100 of online shopping we know that typically this will require 7 carrier bags. We will, therefore, charge you 35p which is the equivalent of 7 bags at a cost of 5p each).

Recycling

Waitrose has recycled packaging materials such as cardboard and plastic from its shops and distribution centres for more than 20 years. As part of our legal packaging obligation, Waitrose spends almost £1 million a year to help recycle consumer packaging.
We also encourage customer recycling and our Waitrose shops offer recycling facilities for customers where feasible, the only limiting factors are space or local collection arrangements. As part of our commitment to encouraging customers to recycle, we provide recycling points for plastic carrier bags in Waitrose shops; our five Food & Home shops offer mobile phone recycling; and in 2010 we introduced battery recycling facilities in our shops.

Waitrose also supports websites Recycle Now and Recycle More (these links open in new windows) that enable consumers to identify their nearest recycling centre and, importantly, the types of materials that can be recycled.
Working with WRAP, the British Retail Consortium and other leading retailers, we developed a standard on-pack recycling labelling scheme for packaging, which was launched in 2008. The initiative replaces the previous range of recycling symbols and messages with a single Recycle Now logo and an icon to indicate the recyclability of the packaging.

Recycling electrical equipment

Electrical and Electronic Equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the UK, increasing by at least 5% each year. The public dispose of more than 1.2 million tonnes of waste every year in the UK, and landfill sites are now reaching full capacity. Much of this waste can be recycled, and the resources recovered to make new consumer goods. The WEEE regulations aim to reduce the quantity of electrical and electronic items disposed of in this way, and will encourage everyone to play a part in protecting our environment for future generations.
From 1 July 2007, the UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations allow members of the public to deposit old electrical and electronic items at recycling sites across the UK, free of charge.
To find your nearest recycling sites for waste electrical and electronic products, contact your local council, or visit Recycle More and type your postcode into the recycling bank locator.
As retailers of electrical and electronic products, both John Lewis and Waitrose fully support this regulation, and we have joined together with some of the UK’s leading electrical retailers to create and fund a new body - the Distributor Take-Back (DTS) scheme - which is helping to develop a new UK recycling network for waste electrical products.
Over the next three years, the scheme will make more than £10 million available to establish and upgrade recycling facilities across the UK, so that customers can conveniently recycle old electrical appliances.
For the latest information on waste and recycling at Waitrose and John Lewis visit The John Lewis Partnership.
Since 5 May 2009, the UK's Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations require those who manufacture, import or produce one tonne of batteries or those who place products containing batteries onto the UK market to be responsible for the collection, treatment and recycling of the waste batteries. In the UK, we use 600 million batteries every year - an average of 21 per household. In 2007 just 3% of batteries were being recycled, the rest were going to landfill. The UK is aiming to meet targets of 25% recycling of batteries by 2012 and 45% by 2016.
Everything from AAA cells to mobile phone batteries and button cells used in hearing aids and watches, must be separated from household rubbish and placed into designated recycling bins in shops or other recycling points. Recycling facilities are available in all John Lewis and Waitrose stores.
Our buyers are also aware of how this legislation impacts the products they select, and all our own-brand products, which fall under the WEEE and batteries regulations are clearly identifiable with a crossed out wheelie-bin symbol. As a producer of electrical, electronic and battery-containing products, we are also members of producer compliance schemes that take responsibility for recycling batteries and waste electrical and electronic products.

FAQs

Q: Why should I recycle my old electrical and electronic products?
A: This is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the UK and our landfill sites are reaching full capacity. Much of this waste can be recycled and the resources recovered to make new consumer goods. The WEEE regulations aim to reduce the quantity of electrical and electronic items disposed of in this way, and will encourage everyone to play a part in protecting our environment for future generations.
Q: How can I recycle my old electrical and electronic products?
A: To find your nearest recycling sites for waste electrical and electronic products, contact your local council, or visit Recycle More and type your postcode into the recycling bank locator. You will also find advice and tips on the website about how to recycle waste electrical goods and other household items, making it quick and easy for you to recycle more.
Q: How will I know whether the new products I buy can be recycled?
A: All new electrical and electronic products sold now carry a ‘crossed out wheelie bin’ symbol to help you identify which products are recyclable. You do not have to have purchased new electrical and electronic equipment to be able to recycle your old equipment.
Q: Will John Lewis and Waitrose accept my old electrical and electronic items back in-store?
A: No, unfortunately John Lewis and Waitrose are unable to accept old appliances back in-store. We do not have a legal obligation to do so and will instead be contributing to the funding of an alternative network of recycling points. Contact your local council or use the website above to locate your nearest recycling bank for WEEE. Your local John Lewis or Waitrose store also has more information on the collection facilities available to you in your local area.
Q: Will John Lewis still offer a collection service for large electrical products?
A: John Lewis and Waitrose Food and Home will continue to offer collection services for large white electrical goods and some other large electricals. There will be a small charge for this service. Your local branch can provide details. The regulations do not give you entitlement to free collection of WEEE from your home. Local Authority bulky waste collections and collection by the Charitable and Voluntary Sector remain unaffected.
Please help us to minimise the effect we all have on the environment by recycling your waste electrical and electronic products.
Source: Waitrose.com