Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, has appointed five new 'ambassadors' to help it promote a circular economy.
Ricky Recycle, Ryan Reuse, Renée Renew, Ronnie Replace and Rihanna Reduce have been created to illustrate the five 'r's of responsibility.
Said to replace the widley-known three 'r's of recycling – reduce, reuse and recycle – the five members also promote the importance of renewal and replacement.
Tony Hitchin, General Manager of Pro Carton, said: “We’re really excited to launch our five 'r's characters – each one really brings to life the message that we are trying to share.
"In the current climate, the three 'r's are no longer enough to resolve the issues we’re facing worldwide.
"But if we demonstrate the importance of the five 'r's of responsibility – by enlisting the help of The Carton Campaigners of course – then I believe that together we can tackle the consumption of damaging materials so there is hope of a brighter future for our environment.”
The characters, created to mark The European Week for Waste Reduction from 16-24 November 2019, will be used in Pro Carton initiatives including the 'trees into cartons, cartons into trees' programme, which teaches children about the circular economy.
Currently, 85% of paper and cartonboard packaging in Europe is recycled, a figure that could be boosted through an increase in the recyclability of packaging materials and improved recycling services, Pro Carton suggests.
