Recycling
is easy once you know how!
But,
with so many symbols, it can get a little confusing. Our friends in Repak have
compiled a simple guide to familiar symbols to help you make sense of it all.
Recycling
symbols now appear on everyday items and packaging to keep you in the loop. The
symbols will let you know if a product can or can’t be recycled.
It’s
important that you can identify and understand these symbols so that you can
play your part in recycling, always remembering to put the right thing in the
right bin, CLEAN, DRY and LOOSE.
Below
are some of the more common ones...
A relatively new logo to recognise. When you buy a drink in a container with the Re-turn logo, you are charged a small refundable deposit. You can then claim back the levy by returning the empty container.
This a
European trademark and it means that suppliers and producers have contributed
financially to the recycling of packaging in Europe. For example, Repak Members
can use this symbol on their packaging as they pay fees to Repak to fund
recycling in Ireland. The symbol does not necessarily mean that the packaging
is recyclable, has been recycled or will be recycled.
The Mobius
symbol indicates that a product’s packaging can be recycled, not that it has
been recycled or that it is accepted in all recycling collection systems. The
symbol may be accompanied by a percentage figure in the middle to explain that
x% of the packaging is recycled.
The
'Tidyman' symbol asks you not to litter. It is a reminder to dispose of
your waste carefully and thoughtfully.
MyWaste.ie
(an initiative brought to you by the Regional Waste Management Offices on
behalf of the Department of Climate Action, Communications and the Environment)
has developed its own symbols for use on packaging in Ireland. This symbol
indicates that packaging can be recycled in your household recycling bin. For
more information see MyWaste.ie
