Buy recycled campaign takes off in Australia

By Dewi Anggraeni

MELBOURNE, Australia (JP): Most people confess to a fuzzy feeling when what they buy carries a label, "made from recycled materials". It reflects how successful environmentalists have been in promoting cleaner living spaces. Ask people however, if they would still buy such an item if, on the next shelf in the shop, a similar item of comparable quality but lower price, were visible. It is fair to say that the acid test is when people show their commitment even if it pinches their hip-pocket nerve.

In Australia, the success of the "buy recycled" campaign has, so far, been uneven. In some cases, the perceived uncertainty of the market often discourages companies from buying materials with recycled content for, if nothing else, the higher cost. The costs would not go down unless a guaranteed mass market existed. "Buy recycled" thus needs to be promoted more widely, penetrating all sectors of the community, and someone big and powerful has to take the lead.

On July 22 not "someone", but a group, made powerful by their members' profile, indeed took the lead. The Buy Recycled Business Alliance (BRBA) had a high profile launch in Sydney, with the title "Changing Perceptions -- Changing Materials". The alliance aimed to demonstrate to the community that buying recycled goods was a sound, practical and market-based approach to waste minimization, facilitating an increased use in business of products and materials with a recycled content.

It did not come across as wishful thinking or an unattainable dream, since the corporate names of the founding members alone were enough to cause the ground to shake. Twenty-seven corporate giants including Ansett Australia, Coca-Cola Amatil, Visy Industries, McDonalds Australia, St George Bank, Amcor Fibre Packaging, were leading by example.

The idea of forming such an alliance came from environment ministers at the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) two years ago. At that time Eco- recycle Victoria in the state of Victoria, was already operating consistently, convinced that there was a definite role for industry to take part in the "buy recycled" campaign. The ministers also pointed to the U.S. model, where in 1993 (its initial year) the 33 steering committee members of the Buy Recycled Business Alliance there, generated US$3 billion in purchases of recycled-content products.

A consultant was then recruited to approach various players in business, which brought in the original five founding members of BRBA: Coca-Cola Amatil, Carlton United Brewery, McDonalds Australia, Ansett Australia and Visy Industries. Likes attract likes is an apt expression here, because in no time, the list of the founding members swelled to 27, all of them corporate heavy- weights.

The diversity of the founding members' businesses was reflected in the exhibition at the launch, displaying various furniture for the Olympics made from recycled cardboard, chairs made from recycled toner cartridges, carpets using recycled plastic, and a wide variety of functional items.

At this stage the 27 founding members alone had a combined purchasing power of some $20 billion. Their role in lifting the profile as well as the performance of the "buy recycled" drive would be huge and penetrating. Imagine the various suppliers of Ansett Australia adjusting to their client's commitment to buying recycled content items; an almost limitless chain reaction effect, it would seem.

Some companies have indeed been practicing what they are preaching. Take Coca-Cola Amatil. "We have been practicing it for many years," said Colin Whyte, Coca-Cola's environmental affairs manager. "Every year we spend around US$330 million on products with recycled contents. Apart from using recycled-content packing materials, we also have in-house bottles and can recycling- processing plants." Naturally their suppliers feel "encouraged" to follow their example, to keep faith if nothing else.

BRBA however claimed that while it was proud of the existing 27 founding members, it was actively seeking new businesses of all sizes to join the new organization. The founding membership list itself will still be open until 30 June, 2000, for companies who were willing to fork out a mere $6600. Other categories were also offered. Major corporate membership, for those with an annual turnover of over $33 million and willing to pay a $3300 fee; corporate membership for $3300, for businesses with an annual turnover between $3.3 and $33 million; and lastly, small business membership for $660 for those with an annual turnover of less than $3.3 million. All figures were in U.S. dollars.

One strategy on BRBA's agenda in promoting its business philosophy is education. It is planning to run seminars with businesses, and workshops with government agencies to establish partnerships with policy makers. BRBA believes that by making the government, businesses and consumers work together it can make a difference and eventually contribute to the improvement of the environment.

BRBA's example, one would hope, may be taken up by other countries in the region, some of which are in drastic need of good and effective environmental management.