According to a 2021 IFOP survey, 9 out of 10 French people consider consumers responsible for waste left in nature. However, behind these wild deposits, the “throwers” do not always approach an individual profile.
In the end, it does not matter whether the individual gesture is singled out. Some companies, aware that the products scattered in nature have come out of their factories, decide to take the lead rather than bury their heads in the sand. 🙈
It is true that theplastic industry, which is often criticized, would at first glance have every interest in contributing to this cause. So what are the initiatives that the sector is deploying to stem the phenomenon of illegal deposits?
Is plastic waste too often trivialized?
3 concrete actions by the plastic bottle industry to fight against illegal deposits
1. Investment in video surveillance systems
2. The waste mural: a visual awareness-raising tool
3. Participatory collection and recycling programs
Abandoned waste that is more shocking than others
PFAS: a perilously trendy subject
Can the plastic bottle industry do without PFAS?
In short
Although awareness-raising campaigns are multiplying, the visual shock generated in front of garbage heaps seems to be fading, and paradoxically, this phenomenon tends to disturb public opinion less and less.
According to the same IFOP survey as the one mentioned in the introduction, it is not so much the pollution itself that bothers the French, but rather the act of incivility that it represents: 46% of respondents consider it primarily a lack of respect, rather than a real ecological threat.
This perception raises questions: is the population really aware of the extent of the environmental damage caused by these illegal deposits? And if not, whom Is responsible for the lack of light on these small daily actions that cause increasing pollution?
Businesses are not the only ones taking action to raise awareness and convert consumers to good behaviors. The State has obviously taken its part of the responsibility to combat illegal deposits by considering these acts as reprehensible and by passing new laws to make the sanctions imposed more stringent.
Apart from these punitive aspects, what positive actions are available to industries to take concrete action?
Some companies, in a proactive approach, have chosen to invest in surveillance devices to deter illegal deposits on their sites or in risk areas. The installation of video surveillance cameras also makes it possible to identify perpetrators or possible repeat offenders.
Another initiative is to Raise awareness among its employees who, before being company workers, remain ordinary citizens. The waste mural is an innovative tool that allows companies and administrations to mobilize their employees around waste management issues.
Accessible to all, without prerequisites, it strengthens team cohesion by initiating collective discussions on good practices in sorting and reducing waste. This mural encourages awareness.
Some companies propose to facilitate the return of used packaging, ♻️ using lockers or collection bins placed in strategic locations. This makes it possible to reintegrate plastic waste into the recycling process and therefore ultimately obtain products made entirely from recycled material (= RPET).
Of course, there are many other solutions put in place by these companies to fight against illegal deposits, such as:
In its study, the IFOP also highlights a psychological phenomenon. Some types of waste are visually more disturbing than others. Volume and size abandoned objects thus influence our perception of the seriousness of the act.
Thus, a bulky 100-liter box left at the side of the road will be more annoying than a small glass jar of yogurt, even though the latter will take much longer to degrade in nature. 😉
The waste material also plays a role in how it is perceived.
For example, 91% of French people say they are disturbed by the sight of abandoned plastic packaging. On the other hand, small waste, such as cigarette butts or paper tissues, is more tolerated despite its significant environmental impact.
Faced with the trivialization of waste and the threat it poses to the environment as well as to health, some companies in the plastic industry are taking measures to reverse the trend.
Whether it's investing in video surveillance to deter perpetrators of illegal deposits or the use of recycled material in manufacturing processes, there are many, such as Ozembal, to have committed themselves and to fight actively.
These actions, while commendable, cannot succeed without collective awareness!
Collaboration between businesses, consumers and public authorities is essential to sustainably change mentalities and reduce our waste rate. 🌿
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