RC is working with Time Inc. and Verso Paper to increase magazine recycling. Recycling Magazines Is Excellent (ReMix), a collaborative partnership between Verso Paper, Time Inc, and the NRC to increase magazine and catalog recycling continues to expand across the country.
Beginning in 2004 with pilot projects in Boston, Massachusetts and Prince George’s County, Maryland, ReMix has seen encouraging results. With success in both areas, ReMix spread to Milwaukee and Northeast Wisconsin in 2005 where early signs suggest another successful campaign. See for more information on ReMix in Wisconsin. In April 2006, the ReMix team expanded to the City of Portland, Oregon. With its successful recycling programs and engaged residents, Portland will offer the opportunity to apply all of what the ReMix partners have learned in the other project areas to date. ReMix plans to expand into several other cities later in 2006.
Working with recycling organizations, local government agencies, and private collectors/processors, ReMix’s innovative public-private partnership has used a number of outreach mechanisms including local mailers, city bus advertising, Time Warner cable ads, radio spots, magnets, newspaper articles, community guide ads, county employee paychecks, and full-page ReMix ads in many popular magazines. To date, the ReMix message has created more than 72 million impressions (reaching a set of eyes) throughout Boston, Prince George’s County, and greater Milwaukee. Operating within each area for at least one year provides ReMix the opportunity to reach its audience through a variety of methods and to inform residents that they can easily include magazines and catalogs with their other paper recycling.
The Boston and Prince George’s County projects are scheduled to conclude in early 2006, but preliminary results show measurable success, with increases in the rate of magazines and catalogs in both areas. The Milwaukee project is still underway, with much enthusiasm shared among the local and national partners for the potential of the ReMix campaign. Portland’s kickoff marks an exciting opportunity for the ReMix project to further develop and expand its work.
Press Releases
Read the Press Release about the Portland ReMix Campaign [PDF, 90 KB] – April 20, 2006
Read the Press Release about the Milwaukee ReMix Campaign [PDF, 52 KB] – April 21, 2005
Read the Press Release about the Prince George’s County ReMix Campaign [PDF, 6 MB] – April 22, 2004
Read the Press Release about the Boston ReMix Campaign [PDF, 6 MB] – March 22, 2004
ReMix Campaign As a major element of the educational campaign, Time, Inc. will run promotional ads on magazine recycling in project area editions of several of their weekly and monthly publications, such as Time, Sports Illustrated, Essence and In Style. If the pilots are successful, the campaign could be expanded to numerous cities around the country.
View the national ReMix ad [PDF, 273 KB] Each project partner will contribute resources and expertise to the project. Time Inc. will bring the publishing power as the world’s largest magazine publisher. Verso Paper is taking the lead in devising the messaging and outreach campaign. NRC will play a variety of roles in the magazine recycling program, including:
- Providing a critical link between the project partners and city/county recycling officials on the front lines of the nation’s recycling efforts.
- Guiding how to effectively infuse the resources and tools of the project partners with existing elements of the local recycling program.
- Tracking and analyzing data to chart the progress of the projects, and provide ongoing feedback to project partners on ways to adapt the program to improve results.
Magazines and catalogs are not recycled as often as they could be for several reasons:
- Some consumers think glossy paper is a contaminant in paper recycling. Some recycling programs in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, before the market of old magazines (OMG) was well developed, exclusively targeted old newspapers and excluded OMG, telling residents that the material was a contaminant. Throughout the 90’s, OMG markets and collection efforts have expanded considerably, yet this new information has not reached all residents.
- Residents may tend to save and collect magazines more than newspapers.
- Magazines are dense, heavy and slick and may be difficult for some residents to consolidate and transport to the curb for recycling.