Introduction
Community recycling managers have one of the toughest jobs in the country. On any given day you have to contend with a multitude of tasks to keep your recycling program going successfully, while complying with an array of regulations, laws and policies. You seldom hear from the customers you are there to serve -- unless something goes wrong. When budget-cutting time comes around, yours is likely to be one of the first departments to be told to tighten its belt -- again.

So how are you going to find the time and resources to educate consumers about the benefits of recycling? And how are you going to translate awareness of your program into recycling action?

NAPCOR is here to help! We’ve prepared this simple marketing communications guide to help you do just that. It is prepared specifically with you, the community recycling manager, in mind.

NAPCOR has a lot more to offer than just advice. We provide a wide range of communications, technical and legislative support to recycling managers  across the country. Our assistance at the state and local levels is making a huge difference in program effectiveness for countless recycling managers. We invite you to use this guide to find out more about what NAPCOR can do for you, and -- more importantly -- what you can do for your PET plastic recycling program.

Who is NAPCOR?
NAPCOR, the National Association for PET Container Resources, is a national trade association for the PET plastic industry. Founded in 1987, NAPCOR promotes PET recycling and the use of PET plastic. NAPCOR members consist of PET resin producers, PET bottle producers and PET industry suppliers.

NAPCOR assists state and municipal recycling managers in three important areas:

• Technical Support -- We’ve played a leading role in the PET recycling industry by providing technology grants, recyclability design research, development of testing protocols, commodity market facilitation, and a wide range of individualized technical assistance to communities around the country.
• Government Relations -- We promote the environmental benefits of PET containers to state legislators and municipal leaders. Our work is centered on the philosophy that the PET marketplace operates best when it is free from unnecessary regulation and restrictions.
• Communications Support -- We help local and state recycling officials increase their PET collection by offering promotional  materials that educate the public about PET recycling.

Our educational materials are designed for use at the local level in communities like yours, and can be used in combination with your own publicity materials or as stand-alone communications tools.

Setting realistic, achievable goals and supporting objectives is very important when building a communications program. Clear goals lead to clear, targeted communications. A clear goal will make it easier to target your audience, and to select the most effective communications tools to reach them.

Like other aspects of your job, a very important part of the communications program is measuring effectiveness. Again, without specific objectives starting out, it becomes difficult to determine what effect your messages really had. And importantly, it is always helpful to show the people who control your budget how what you did had a real, measurable impact on the bottom line.

The research phase
Before you embark on an education or publicity campaign, you need to do some research. Here are some tips on what kinds of information you need to get started on structuring your campaign:

• If you’re relatively new to the area or the job, find out what’s been done in the past. What worked and didn’t work? Search the files for important contacts in the community who participated in the effort. Talk to them about sharing their experiences or helping out again.
• Make a list of all the people who might have an influence on how well you are able to build a communications program. This might be a long list, but take some time with it. Every local and state situation is different, so here are some suggestions:
• Your boss and your boss’s boss
• The Mayor and staff
• The city council
• State environmental agency
• State recycling organization
• Neighborhood associations
• The media
• Any other key "influencers"
• Define your "target" population -- this is your key audience. Who are the people you want to reach? What are their economic circumstances? What are their recycling attitudes and habits? What kinds of messages would be important to them? If you’re fortunate (or persuasive in budget allocation meetings), you may have access to research funds to conduct a representative survey of your target audience in order to answer some of these questions. A great free or low-cost research resource is local colleges and universities. Talk to the head of the Social Sciences department to see if any students are looking for a "real world" research topic.
• Do a thorough analysis of the media serving your market area. What opportunities for free placement of articles or print ads are there? How about radio and TV public service announcements? Who are the "gatekeepers" at each media outlet who make decisions on placing community service materials? Make a list and get to know them. Call them or stop by their offices and find out what the rules are. Don’t forget to check the local cable TV company. Sometimes they are a great resource for free placement. And don’t forget that when you find free placement opportunities, NAPCOR can provide you with professionally produced TV and Radio public service announcements; print ads ready for insertion; "recycling clip art," so you can make your own ads; feature articles on recycling PET that you can make your "own" by adding your name and organization -- and much, much more.

NAPCOR communications research has established some general "truisms" when it comes to establishing the right recycling message:

• The concept of recycling is positive for the majority of consumers. People feel good about themselves when they participate.
• Consumers know very little about the process of recycling or its economics. But that doesn’t mean that they’re not interested.
• "Rules" about what can and can’t be recycled and how to prepare post-consumer materials for recycling are confusing. The message here is -- keep the message simple.
• Kids, particularly those in grades 5 through 7, are very receptive to messages about recycling, and they can be active recycling "influencers" in the home.

Communications strategy
O.K. You’ve done some good research; you’ve identified your target audience -- and even some segments within the target audience; you’ve established a profile of the typical recycling customer within the segment; and you’ve established some realistic and measurable goals and objectives. Now comes the fun part -- devising your strategy.

The communications strategy is a plan of action to achieve your stated goals. It assembles the pieces of the communications puzzle -- available budgets, management constraints, communications tactics, and time available -- to produce an effective campaign. There are many "formats" for developing a communications strategy, but here are some common steps in building your plan of action:

1. Write a complete description of the problem or opportunity, called a situation analysis.
2. Identify and state the specific problem or opportunity your communications campaign will address.
3. Transform the problem statement into a clear goal statement and list the associated objectives that will help you achieve that goal.
4. Segment your target audience into prioritized target groups.
5. Devise a list of tentative communications tactics or activities to support the overall strategy: i.e., a special event kickoff for a PSA campaign; a school-based promotion; a paid media campaign, etc.
6. State any limitations to successfully implementing your plan. (This usually involves resources of time, money, and people.)
7. Outline what management approvals or support you’ll need to implement your plan, and to ensure compatibility with policy and existing programs. (This is where the list of "influencers" you have prepared will come in handy).
8. Now select the final elements of your plan that have the best chance of success. If you have the time or resources, test the strategy against a representative sample of the target audience.
9. Calendar each portion of the total strategic package from implementation to final evaluation.
10. Budget each action or event.
11. Plan how your results will be measured
12. Justify the strategic plan to management. If you have followed the steps listed above, your justification is ready for the most rigid management scrutiny. Management "buy-in" is essential to running a successful communications campaign.

The NAPCOR Store
Television and Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs): NAPCOR has available a series of 30 and 15-second television, and 60-second radio PSAs all produced in 1996. The PSAs are upbeat, fun, and they can be localized with "supers" for TV and "tags" for radio. (Supers and tags are endings containing information about your local recycling program.)

Recycling "Clip Art": If NAPCOR’s print ads don’t work for you, make your own. The NAPCOR Store kit contains a selection of PET plastic recycling-related clip art for you to use in designing your own local print ads.

Informational Brochure: In your NAPCOR Store kit, you will find information on how to order brochures that will help you explain how to look for and recycle #1 plastic.

There a number of other NAPCOR Store special items available upon request for the cost of transportation and insurance. These include:

• Recycling Pete, the NAPCOR mascot. The Pete costume is perfect for promotions at schools and community gatherings, or as a kickoff partner for your recycling campaign.
• The NAPCOR Traveling Exhibit. This is a semi-permanent exhibit that highlights the recyclability of #1 plastic. Special emphasis is placed on interesting end-use products made of recycled post-consumer PET.
• The NAPCOR Fashion Show Kit. We have designed a "how-to-do-it-yourself instruction kit based on our tremendously successful fashion show concept -- where fashionable clothing and accessories made from recycled PET are modeled at local special events. With our easy instructions and sample scripts, you can put on your own fashion show. The costs are extremely low, and it can really jump-start a program featuring recycled PET.

Getting PSA Air Time:
Getting your hands on those neat NAPCOR PSA’s is just the first step in getting them on the air. It’s not as simple as just mailing the PSAs to the radio and TV station with a nice cover letter and hoping for the best. You’re in competition with dozens, even hundreds, of worthy non-profit organizations who are all looking for a share of a finite and very limited resource -- free air time. Here are some tips to help maximize your chances:

• Call the station. Most stations have a public service director, or someone who performs that function. Explain who you are and what you want. Either you will be directed to the appropriate station employee or you will be given instructions on how to submit your information. Ask questions if something is not clear.
• Allow plenty of time before first intended air date. Materials should be at the station at least 60 days before the scheduled start of a campaign.
• Keep a good record of who you talk to at each station. Update your contact information as needed.
• You can "cultivate" station personnel, but DON’T press too hard. Call early in the morning and try to be understanding if they are busy or are less than enthusiastic. They cannot promise much of anything and they always work under time pressures.

This is where your ingenuity comes in. You must find an interesting "hook" to sell your story. There are many hooks that are proven winners. One example is to introduce a recycling campaign using a fashion show "kickoff" with local dignitaries and personalities as the models. Schedule the fashion show at a local shopping mall at the noon hour. Have a spokesperson in the studio during the noon news broadcast to provide commentary for a live remote TV camera covering the show. Invite other media to cover the show, including the newspapers. If done just right, you get a live broadcast of the show, numerous repeats of clips from the show on subsequent news broadcasts  and you can wake the next morning and enjoy a great photo spread in the local newspaper. It’s been done before, and you can do it, too!

A final note: Program Evaluation
An important component of your communications plan is measuring how well it performed, and then documenting the results. Demonstrating that your program achieved its objectives is the last step in a good communications program. Equally important, it’s also the first step in getting the resources you need to do your job the next time around.

NAPCOR wishes you every success in your difficult task of "moving the recycling needle." We encourage you to consider us as a valuable resource for your efforts.
 

More consumers are requesting products packaged in PET plastic because PET containers are lightweight, shatterproof and resealable. More PET plastic bottles on the shelf or in vending machines means more bottles to recycle. Recycled PET plastic bottles are not only kept from landfills, but are made into exciting, everyrpet.

This overview serves as a general guide to setting up PET recycling programs outside of the conventional curbside or drop-off recycling programs. For more details, please contact NAPCOR.

Essential Elements of a Successful Program
A successful PET recycling program starts with five essential elements:

1. A capable and enthusiastic program coordinator
2. A secure market for the PET recyclables
3. A simple and reliable collection system
4. An effective employee education and public awareness program
5. A qualified, reliable, full-service outside reclamation company (a recycler or waste hauler)

• Appoint a program coordinator.

Appoint an individual to implement and oversee the program. The program coordinator should also recruit assistance as needed.
• Conduct a PET plastic bottles assessment.

This assessment should include information on how many PET bottles are sold on the premises, what other materials are currently recycled by your organization, and where most of the PET bottles are consumed and thrown away.
• Determine who will collect and market the recyclables.

Numerous factors may affect your choice, including your ability to deliver the recyclables to market yourself and any opportunities for cooperative programs with neighboring businesses. You should also consider negotiating with a local recycling company or waste hauler to pick-up. purchase and market your recyclables.
• Establish the on-site collection system.

Most on-site collection systems include individual collection bins and transportation to a central storage location on your premises. You should consider the number, size and location of these bins as well as any additional servicing necessary, which might include emptying the bins, using bin liners, sorting trash from the bin, and preparing the bottles for marketing. You should also determine who will collect and transport the bottles and where they will be stored to accumulate before being sent to market.
• Educate and train the staff.

Your recycling team must have a good understanding of the program's importance and operational methods as well as each individual task related to the process. Your staff also should be able to educate consumers on appropriate recycling methods.
• Publicize the program through consumer and employee education.

Teach those on your premises how to recycle PET plastic bottles properly so that they can spread the word. Remind them to recycle their bottles and share the success of their recycling efforts. Planning events such as a PET plastic fashion show can help to highlight the importance of recycling.
• Monitor and evaluate the program.

Stay in close contact with your collection staff and recyclables buyers. Respond quickly to the "bugs" in your system. Evaluate the collection system often to ensure its effectiveness.

• A capable program coordinator.
• A secure market for recyclables.
• A reliable collection system.
• A detailed assessment of PET plastic bottles usage/disposal.
• A well-planned system for employee education.
• A plan for publicity and consumer education.
• A qualified full-service reclamation company.

A clear process for monitoring and evaluation.