The On-Pack Recycling Label scheme (OPRL) has appointed Richard Parker as interim programmes manager.
Parker has held a series of positions in the packaging sector over his 30-year career. Most recently he was head of sustainable packaging at Iceland Foods.
Jane Bevis, chair of the OPRL, said: “Richard joins us as we expand the team in line with business plans. We will shortly be recruiting a marketing manager to work with Richard and our membership manager as we grow the business further in order to deliver greater recyclability and recycling of packaging.”
Speaking about his new position, Parker said: “Having been involved in packaging from almost every angle so far in my career and, most recently, taking part in the consultations on Waste and Resources Strategy development, this is a great time to be further involved in influencing the future of our approach to packaging.”
The OPRL is a non-profit company which operates with the support of various organisations, including ACE UK, CPI, INCPEN, LARAC and RECOUP. The company operates the on-pack labelling system scheme used by hundreds of brands manufactured across its more than 330 members.
The OPRL is celebrating its 10th year in 2019. The company opened membership to the packaging supply chain in 2017, with the launch of related compliance schemes in 2018.
The recycling system is operated under three categories:
- Widely recycled (75% or more of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging)
- Check local recycling (between 20% and 75% of UK local authorities collect that type of packaging), and
- Not currently recycled (fewer than 20% of the UK local authorities collect that type of packaging).
Research conducted in 2018 showed that three out of four consumers recognised OPRL labels, making them the most recognised, understood and acted-on recycling label in the UK (based on 2,580 respondents).