Buy back push for National Recycling Week

That the message of Planet Ark's National Recycling Week (November 13-19).

In the 20 years to 2015, Australia's population increased by 28 per cent and waste levels grew by 170 per cent.

The good news is that recycling is growing at an even faster rate than waste.

What happens to those materials once they have been recycled and how everyone plays a part in the process is a key focus of this year's campaign.

It advocates for a circular economy, which replaces "dispose" with "recycle, reuse and repurpose", and keeps important materials from being wasted in landfill.

"Since the introduction of kerbside recycling in the 1980s and '90s, Australians have really embraced recycling," said Planet Ark Recycling Programs manager Ryan Collins.

"But to truly close the recycling loop, and keep valuable resources like plastic, metal and paper in circulation and out of landfills, we need to buy back the products that have been made from our recycling."

Research from Planet Ark's new guide What Goes Around: Why Buying Recycled Matters shows 88 per cent of Australians already buy products that contain recycled materials, and 70 per cent said they would be more likely to buy products and/or packaging if they contained recycled
materials.

Most Australians also have high awareness of some products that can be made with recycled materials including office paper (83%), toilet tissue (75%) and paper towels (78%).

However, the new research also shows there is less awareness about other products that can be made using recycled materials, such as road surfaces, printer cartridges, paving and carpet underlay.

"We're actually surrounded by products made from our recycling, and people may be surprised by some of the recycled products out there, like wallets and purses made from tyre inner tubes; surfboard fins made from ocean plastic; eye glasses made from milk bottle lids; fencing made from printer cartridges; as well as shampoo bottles and shopping bags made from recycled PET plastic; and even pet litter made from recycled paper," Mr Collins said.

"Also, inspiring discoveries from research and development projects are finding more and more ways to utilise waste, so the list of products made from recycled materials will continue to grow."

Those innovations include using the unique qualities of problem waste, like tyres, to create synthetic hockey or soccer pitches, or even green steel, which reduces electricity consumption and delivers productivity improvements.

Other inspiring stories include research into new uses for glass, which can be used in road bases and construction.

"When consumers and businesses purchase products that are made from recycled materials, they create a demand for recycling, which supports Australian industry, allows new recycled manufacturing opportunities to flourish and creates jobs," Mr Collins said.

"As well as being good for the environment, the financial benefits of this closed loop cycle are significant. It's estimated that by 2025 the circular economy in Australia could be worth $26 billion."

To make it easier for consumers and businesses to buy recycled, Planet Ark has created a handy online directory.

This year, Planet Ark is also launching a new annual event. Buy It Back Day (November 18) encourages people to celebrate National Recycling Week through mindful purchasing by buying something secondhand or buying a product made from recycled materials.

Shoppers are invited to share their purchase on social media with a photo and hashtags #BuyItBack and #NationalRecyclingWeek.