18/10/2004

Britons urged to get on board for 'the Big Recycle'

Britain's national week for recycling, 'the BIG recycle', has been officially launched by comedian and impressionist Alistair McGowan today.

The message for the week of action is recycling awareness must be turned into recycling action, as research for 'the BIG recycle' found that while awareness is high it does not necessarily equate to action. Whilst 90% of people know that drinks cans can be recycled, only 50% say they have actually ever done it.

'The BIG recycle' marks a week of local activity across the country to highlight the benefits to recycling and to improve awareness of what can be recycled, how it can be recycled and what happens to materials once they are sent to recycling. The campaign aims to inspire more to recycle.

Environment Minister Elliot Morley said: "We are at the cusp of a recycling revolution. We know what we can recycle, we know how we can recycle - now it is time to recycle that recycling awareness into recycling action."

The research found that newspapers and glass bottles are the most popular items to recycle – 76% of people claim to recycle newspapers, and 70% claim to recycle glass bottles. Fewer people (72%) were aware that plastic milk containers and plastic bottles could be recycled and just over 40% have actually done it.

'The BIG recycle' comes just a few weeks after the Government launched a new £30 million multi-media campaign - Recycle Now - to get people recycling.

(gmcg/mb)

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