Quality controls

Contamination of recovered plastics can make it difficult to find a market for them and often constitutes the largest barrier to successful recycling. If establishing a collection scheme for plastics from your own business, you should implement quality controls that seek to minimise contamination and generate the most consistent supply of materials possible.

If you are collecting plastics from a number of businesses, you should provide them with information regarding quality controls and encourage them to implement them to ensure you are collecting a consistent supply of clean, good quality material.

Quality control measures can be as simple as:

• Signage at all collection points with a brief description of acceptable and non-acceptable materials
• Demonstration boards to illustrate what material is recyclable
• Specifications posted at the baling station with a clear list of non-acceptable materials
• Careful handling and storage of material to protect from moisture, dirt and sunlight
• Ensuring adequate weight is accumulated before baling to achieve proper density

Education and training of employees is an important element of quality control and can be achieved without expensive consulting or lost working hours. It may be possible, for example, to combine training in recycling with other regular meetings, such as health and safety. The key element of recycling training is to provide adequate information in easily understandable terms to all those involved.

It is also important that new employees are made aware of the scheme. Regular employee updates on the success of the scheme are a good way of maintaining interest and participation.