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Other environmental arguments and conditions to reach environmentally sound recycling are
developed in the review of LCAs, presented in Annex 1.
Economic aspects
Creating employment
Recycling can be an opportunity to create local jobs in collection, sorting, communications, administration and reprocessing. The reprocessing can be undertaken locally, regionally or beyond, and
consequently the positive economic aspects of increased employment can be local or dispersed
further a field. Job creation obviously brings many positive social effects.
According to the German waste packaging recovery organisation, DSD, 170,000 jobs (or two jobs
per 1,000 inhabitants) were created in Germany through the introduction of the selective
collection and sorting system.
A UK study made in 2002 by ReMaDe Kernow16 estimated there are enough plastics in the Cornwall
to create 150 jobs and boost the economy by 23.5 millions. Compared with the Cornish population
(470,000 inhabitants), the potential of job creation is one job per 3,100 inhabitants and the potential
of economical benefits for the region is 50/inhabitant.
The results of a UK research project, funded by London Remade (2003), into the number of jobs
created through recycling, found that the recycling of PET bottles, creates the highest number of
potential jobs compared with processing other recyclable materials.
15- " Waste Management Options and Climate Change " - Final report to the European Commission, DG Environment A. Smith et al. July 2001
Source: Plastics material specific strategic business plan prepared for Remade Kernow (May 2002)
16- http://www.remadekernow.co.uk/plastics_report.pdf
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Social aspects
The Nimby reaction
As has been mentioned earlier, householders often express enthusiasm for recycling, and are keen
to participate in selective collection schemes (though their actual participation often falls short of
initial aspirations).
The introduction of an intensive recycling strategy can avoid the need of new or additional
incineration or landfill capacity. The setting up of such facilities is a challenge for the public authorities,
which will inevitably face some degree of Nimby phenomenon, although this can be mitigated
through effective, sustained public communications. However, in many cases recycling costs are
higher than incineration, hence the cost for the citizen will go up.
Environmental awareness of the population
The introduction of recycling programmes will heighten public environmental awareness.
As a consequence, a significant fraction of population feels motivated to participate in schemes
where they are offered. There often follows an increased demand with local elected representatives
targeted - to improve and extend the existing services to a wider variety of waste plastics.
This enhanced awareness can be linked beneficially to plastics in general, improving the image of
these materials (which are often associated with wastage, the throw-away society and litter).
In addition, including plastics in multi-material collection schemes can raise the overall amount of
materials collected from kerbside collection schemes by between 20 30 per cent.
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