Printweek – Global Recycling Day celebrated

The day was created in 2018 by Ranjit Baxi, founding president of the Global Recycling Foundation.

Winnie Muheling, director of marketing and communications at Pro Carton, said: “The latest Pro Carton European Consumer Packaging Perceptions Survey, released this month, confirms that consumers increasingly view ‘ease of recycling’ as the number one priority when it comes to sustainable packaging, and, by extension, of brand trust.

“Our 2026 research found that more than one in three Europeans have switched brands due to packaging concerns (37%), while ease of recycling has become the top packaging requirement for 64% of Europeans.

“This clear signal shows how packaging has moved from being a functional protection to a driver of product value, perception, and loyalty.”

Muheling added: “What’s especially encouraging is that consumers are backing up their expectations with action. Almost six in ten Europeans (59%) say they are recycling more household waste, while 62% believe recycling is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change.

“Fibre-based materials such as cartonboard have become a clear favourite and now command 87% consumer trust when it comes to successful recycling – more than any other material – and 84% of Europeans say they would prefer cartonboard over plastic when given the choice.

“Even in a cost-of-living context, where affordability remains an important factor in purchasing decisions, sustainability and recyclability are still key priorities.

“This alignment between environmental values and economic realities shows how important circular solutions are for today’s consumer. As we celebrate Global Recycling Day, one message stands out: accelerating circularity depends on collective trust – in materials, systems, and the brands that help make recycling work for people and the planet.”

Krzysztof Krajewski, chief sustainability and innovation officer at packaging board producer RDM Group, also commented: “The 2026 Global Recycling Day theme – Don’t Think Waste, Think Opportunity – is a fitting representation of RDM Group’s day-to-day operations in the recycled cartonboard sector.

“For a long time, the industry was focused on proving the business and material case for recycled fibres, but that work is now largely complete. Sustained innovation across the sector has expanded what recycled materials can do – from food grade board that meets the most stringent safety requirements, to high-performance boards capable of handling a wide range of applications and environments.

“Meaning that the conversation has moved from justifying the use of the material towards the more rewarding task of making the most of it in real-world applications. We are discussing how to move faster, how to scale up production, and how to better utilise the unique properties that recycled materials offer. It is a reliable measure of progress that reflects a broader, more serious commercial commitment to sustainability across the entire packaging sector.

“Consumer attitudes have moved in a similar positive direction. People are paying much closer attention to packaging than they were even three or four years ago﹣looking specifically at what it is made from and whether the recycling process is straightforward and familiar. Recycled cartonboard holds up well to scrutiny at the shelf because its value is grounded in its performance and trust.

“Clear and honest labelling has proven to be an influential part of this change as it acts as a visible marker of progress to the consumer. When packaging communicates its recycled content simply and provides direct guidance on what to do with it at the end of its life, consumers engage with that information. It moves a product purchasing decision from instinct to something that’s intentional. It also gives brands a credible, visible way to publicise the material choices they are making, ensuring that the sustainability story is told right at the point of use.

“Today, marks a moment to reflect how far the conversation has come and to recognise that the opportunity we once talked about is now within reach for the industry.”

Meanwhile, plastic resource efficiency and recycling charity Recoup has today published its annual UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey, which has revealed that, of the English local authorities not yet offering kerbside flexible plastic packaging collections, 78% plan to do so on or before the Simpler Recycling deadline of 31 March 2027.

A government initiative spearheaded by Defra, the aim of Simpler Recycling is to standardise waste collection across England to boost recycling rates and reduce confusion.

Recoup said that across the UK, progress to capture plastic film material remains slow. As of April 2025, only 16% of local authorities tell residents they can recycle plastic films at kerbside, only a 2% rise on the previous year.

Recoup head of policy and infrastructure Steve Morgan said: “The relatively quick transition to collecting and recycling flexible plastic packaging is the most significant change for household recycling kerbside collections since they began in the 1990s.

“Sourcing commercially viable recycling end markets is essential, and although packaging EPR does not financially support end markets, they need to be an integral consideration for both PackUK and local authorities.

“Alongside end markets, improving material quality and effective consumer communication are both key to successful recycling services, and Recoup will continue to be active to support local authorities and service providers to deliver these initiatives.”

Elsewhere on Global Recycling Day, workplace technology provider Agilico has today revealed it has saved the equivalent of 163 Routemaster London buses in unwanted tech over the last three years.

Since the 2023 launch of Agilico Zero, the company’s circular technology programme, the firm has diverted more than two million kilograms of technology from landfill.

It said that extending beyond waste reduction, through remanufacturing the business has also avoided 3,064,964 kg of CO₂e emissions which would otherwise have been generated through manufacturing new equipment.

“Global Recycling Day highlights the importance of keeping valuable materials in use for longer and results from Agilico Zero show how circular approaches to workplace technology can deliver measurable environmental benefits,” said Warren Colby, managing director at Agilico Agile Print Division.

“By remanufacturing devices wherever possible and recycling responsibly when products reach the end of their life, we are helping organisations reduce waste, lower carbon emissions and extend the lifecycle of critical technology.”

Agilico also supplies wide-format printing and scanning machines in addition to more specialist equipment.

Read the Printweek briefing on whether sustainability is too important not to prioritise.