Figures published via the Commission’s data website Eurostat show that the UK recorded a plastics packaging recycling rate of 31.6% in 2013, compared to an average of 37.3% across all 28 EU member states.
It means that the UK ranked alongside the likes of Estonia, Hungary and Luxembourg, which achieved rates of 28.1%, 30.8% and 32.2% respectively. Better performing member states such as Sweden and the Netherlands recorded plastics recycling rates of 45.6% and 46.2% respectively.
However, plastics packaging recycling was up more than 6% on 2012 in the UK, the largest single 12-month increase in over a decade.
The figures come as the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) consults on whether to amend the UK’s plastics packaging target for 2016 in the wake of market pressure. The target currently stands at 52%, and is set to rise to 57% in 2017.
But under the proposals, the current target may fall to 48% – increasing by 1% each year until the end of the decade.
Glass
On glass the UK performed better but failed to meet the EU average, recycling 68.3% of its glass packaging in 2013 against the EU’s overall total of 72.8%.
And on metals, the country also lagged far behind many of its EU counterparts, recycling 57.4% of packaging compared to an average of 73.9%.
Wood packaging recycling also dropped from 51.3% to 42.3% between 2012 and 2013, however this was still above the EU average of 36.1%.
The UK also recycled more paper and cardboard packaging compared to many EU states, achieving an 89.4% rate compared to an average of 84.7%.
Across all material streams, the UK performed somewhat better with 64.6% of packaging recycled – ranking it fifteenth out of 28 states. This compares to an EU-wide average of 65.3% for the year.
It is also a boost on previous performances, which saw the UK achieve 60.8% and 61.4% in 2011 and 2012 respectively (see letsrecycle.com story).
Among the top performers were Belgium with 78.7%, Sweden with 71.9%, and Germany with 71.8%.
Targets
In December, the EU unveiled Circular Economy proposals that could require member states to adopt a 65% packaging recycling target by 2025, rising to 75% by 2030.
Targets for individual material streams include 75% for wood, and 85% for ferrous metal, glass, aluminium, paper and cardboard.
A separate action plan will be set up to evaluate the future plastics packaging target depending on the progress made by individual Member States. A prospective plastics target for 2025 has been set at 55%.
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