Current recycling labelling on plastic products remains complicated, confuses consumers, and should be replaced by a simpler system to improve sustainability targets, according to a new report.

Scientists at the UK-based University of Exeter and University of Bath have called for a new internationally applicable labelling system that moves the focus away from recyclability and onto sustainability. The system should also be specific to the country and region of purchase, and inform the public about plastic additive content, the report said.

Lead author Stephen Burrows said “yes-no” recycling labels were often misleading and should be replaced by a “sustainability scale” that could account for recyclability and factors such as the environmental cost of production and potential human health risks from additives.

“Requiring packaging to carry region-specific directions for disposal would shift responsibility away from consumers and towards regulators and plastic producers,” Burrows explained. “And requiring producers to list all additives would be a major step towards informing the public and helping them make decisions regarding environmental impact and human health.”

The researchers warned their recommendations should not to detract “from the urgent need to use less plastic, especially single-use items”.