Singaporeans will be able to identify if their packaging is truly recyclable and recycled after Label for Recycling (L4R) launched a set of recycling labels in the country.

In Singapore, packaging represents one third of domestic waste and is primarily made of plastics. However, the recycling rate of plastics in the country has steadily decreased down to 4 per cent in 2018, largely due to the high-level of contamination and difficulty in segregating materials.

The contamination issue is primarily linked to confusion from consumers who misinterpret recycling labels with plastics resin identification numbers. L4R, a not-for-profit organisation is keen to address this challenge.

Founder and director Remi Cesaro said: L4R researched widely for the world’s best system to introduce to Singapore and decided to partner with PREP Design. Its flagship software tool called PREP will allow brand owners and manufacturers to design packaging that is truly recyclable, when sold in Singapore.”

The low plastic recycling rate in Singapore alongside with the intention to develop an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework on packaging no later than 2025 makes the need for transparent and reliable information more important than ever.

PREP’s design director Anthony Peyton said: “PREP has become a critical asset of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) in 2018 to support the ambition to make 100 per cent packaging recyclable by 2025 in Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore, OPRL adopted the PREP to support its members for the UK market. We are thrilled to now be able to work closely with L4R to help the Singapore recycling industry to increase recovery levels and decrease contamination by positively engaging Singapore’s citizens.”

Members of L4R will have access to both a standardised recyclability assessment framework and a standardised on-pack recycling label that is the same as seen on products sold in Australia and New Zealand, a parallel programme managed by APCO and Planet Ark. This will be particularly helpful for brands that sell the same products in the three nations.

L4R is currently forming a small group of companies to be involved from the outset that will test PREP and assist L4R to form the programme’s governance arrangements. These businesses will benefit from early training to position their companies to be first to market, thereby reflecting their commitment to the circular economy.