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Wastebuster and Products of Change land first award wins for Recycle to Read campaign

Mon 24 Jan 2022 | 09:05 pm GMT
Rob Hutchins | Products of Change Writer

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Products of Change and Recycle to Read secure their first award wins

Products of Change and the UK schools recycling scheme, Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read have won their first industry recognition, having been named Leading Advocates of Consumer Market Sustainable Change (UK), and Best Environmental Education Programme (UK) respectively. Both Products of Change and Wastebuster secured their wins in the annual BUILD Recycling and Waste Management Awards 2021, an initiative developed to celebrate businesses and organisations developed to innovate and pioneer new concepts in the search for better sustainability. The awards are owned and presided over by BUILD Magazine, a globally focused trade publication for the construction and engineering industry. Recent years have seen the title focus on waste management and recycling, which lead to the establishment of the BUILD Recycling and Waste Management Awards; a platform through which it champions ‘the very best companies and initiatives that the recycling and waste management industry has to offer.’ A campaign developed in partnership with Products of Change, but masterminded by the team at Wastebuster and led by Katy Newnham, Recycle to Read is an initiative devised to bring toy take back and plastic waste recycling programmes into schools, increasing their effectiveness and audience capture in order to maintain value of plastic waste. The aim of the initiative is to develop a new environmental and sustainable infrastructure for recycling toys, combining environmental education with consumer action to empower young people to choose a more sustainable future. In return for recycling toys and reusing tech, schools and communities are rewarded – through the campaign – with books and reading resource. Through dedicated collection points set up in participating schools and retailers, the infrastructure, technology, and network has been set up and will be managed to collect and recycle plastic toys, including small electricals and electronics ‘tech’ and textiles. These electricals and textiles are sent for reuse or recycling, while all revenue generated from this is used to subsidise the collections systems and rewards. Meanwhile, the recycled plastic is used to create new products such as playground equipment and outdoor furniture. Katy Newnham, the brains behind the Wastebuster platform, will be at London Toy Fair this week as the team looks to build awareness among the UK toy industry. To date, Smart Toys and Games has come on board as a founding member of the Recycle to Read’s industry-facing arm. The team is calling upon the toy industry to better consider the circularity of its products, offering a solution for reuse and recycling. "It’s fantastic to receive recognition for our partnership with Products of Change. It has made such an incredible difference to receive POC’s guidance and support throughout the development of our first collaborative impact programme, Recycle to Read," said Newnham. "I think the partnership and the programme, which is going from strength to strength, has really shown the power of collective impact. When industry come together through POC to support a programme such as Recycle to Read, I believe they can make history - by making positive, real and long-lasting change. "This is just the beginning and I am excited to be sharing this journey with such a committed and driven network of people that are stepping to make a difference together. For business, for young people and for the planet." Products of Change picked up recognition at the BUILD Recycling and Waste Management Awards 2021, too, being named Leading Advocates of Consumer Market Sustainable Change – its first award to date, as the platform continues on its mission to drive and encourage positive action and sustainable change across the consumer industries. The recognition has been earned for the platform’s involvement in establishing the Recycle to Read programme with Wastebuster. “As part of our commitment to bring new innovations to the Products of Change community, we are extremely proud to win the Leading Advocates of Consumer Market Change, and of our involvement with Wastebuster’s Recycle to Read campaign and their win of the Best Environmental Education Programme,” said Helena Mansell-Stopher, founder of Products of Change. “Building a circular system to recycle hard-to-recycle plastics here in the UK, the system also unlocks value in that waste by providing recycling reward points back to schools to swap for books and reading material. “Over the coming years, we are aiming to extend our branded partners and community of toy companies in order to expand the programme and all it can achieve.” To be a part of that conversation, drop the team at Products of Change a line at Helena@productsofchange.com or Rob@productsofchange.com or check out the Wastebuster Recycle to Read platform here. The Products of Change team and the Wastebuster team will both be at London Toy Fair this week.
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