This 18 March, Global Recycling Day will focus on frontline waste and recycling workers and volunteers, who have performed essential work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ranjit Baxi, founding president of the Global Recycling Foundation, told letsrecycle.com that without the efforts of the recycling fraternity putting themselves at risk with the increased waste from masks, personal protective equipment, and food during the pandemic, “civil society would otherwise have suffered even more hardship if waste had been allowed to accumulate uncollected and untreated”.
Global Recycling Day, a joint initiative of the Global Recycling Foundation and the United Nations, began in 2018 to promote education and raise awareness of the importance of recycling. Each year, 10 ‘recycling heroes’ are recognised for their contribution to their communities. Nominations were open to individuals, communities and businesses around the globe who continued to make significant impact toward recycling in the past 12 months.
“We want to recognise Recycling Heroes for their outstanding contributions during these unprecedented times,” Baxi said.
In alignment with Global Recycling Day, Australian brand, Wonder bread, is again incentivising soft plastics recycling throughout Australian schools and preschool, bringing back Wonder Recycling Rewards for Schools program. More than 1000 schools registered for the Wonder Recycling Rewards Program in 2021, compelling 400,000 Australian children to collect more than 6000 kilograms of soft plastics (equivalent to 1.7 million bread bags).
In 2022, Wonder is rewarding one school with Replas Exercise Equipment, made from an average of 90 per cent recycled plastic material. There is also up to $100,000 of sports equipment to redeem.
Registrations for the program are open at www.wonder.com.au
For more information, visit: www.globalrecyclingday
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