APC initiative encourages away-from-home recycling

The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) has kicked off National Recycling Week with the launch of a new recycling system at KFC restaurants to encourage away-from-home recycling.

KFC will be the first quick-service restaurant to participate in the Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin recycling initiative. New recycling systems have been installed in 59 KFC restaurants in NSW that are anticipated to provide away-from-home recycling opportunities for around 30 million customer visits each year.

Although more than 90% of Australian householders actively recycle, the APC says Australian households and businesses are sending almost 22 million tonnes of material to landfill each year, with 31% of this from commercial and industrial enterprises.

“National Recycling Week is a fantastic opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved to increase recycling rates by everyone working together - industry, government and consumers - and how we can continue to collaborate and build on these achievements,” said Stan Moore, CEO of the APC.

Since the establishment of the APC, the overall recycling rate of consumer packaging increased from 39% in 2003 to 63.1% in 2011. In 2011, there was 36.4% less consumer packaging being disposed of to landfill than in 2003.

The Do the Right Thing, Use the Right Bin initiative is funded and supported by the APC, Closed Loop Recycling and the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Packaging Stewardship Forum. The APC has also joined National Recycling Week as a supporting sponsor.