Recycle Ann Arbor in Michigan Joins National Coalition to Rebuild Trust Between Recyclers and Consumers

SEATTLE (Waste Advantage):  Recycle Ann Arbor has joined a coalition of recyclers aimed at rebuilding trust between consumers and recyclers. The Alliance of Mission-Based Recyclers, or AMBR , is made of four nonprofit recyclers who share a zero-waste advocacy lens and are dedicated to changing the narrative around recycling. Recyclers are in a unique position because they can look both up and down the waste stream, guiding both consumers and producers, Bryan Ukena, Recycle Ann Arbor CEO, said. “It’s not recycling that’s broken, the packaging we’re getting is a mix of plastic and resin types,” Uken said.

AMBR is focused on instating a circular economy and pushing back on greenwashing, a term used to criticize companies that claim to be environmentally friendly when they are not. The group also wants to focus on advising policy. The group’s first goal is to reduce single-use plastics, with a specific focus on pushing back on the idea that recycling is broken. Instead, it says, packaging needs to be standardized to increase recyclability of products. “The real value of recycling is when you get into circular economy,” Uken said. The coalition is also dedicated to advocating for extended producer responsibility, which is the idea that manufacturers have a responsibility to manage, either physically or financially, their post-consumer packaging waste.

Courtesy: www.wasteadvantage.com