Counties raise concerns over recycling of plastic film

Hampshire's waste partnership and Buckinghamshire's waste partnership both said on Friday that residents are pushing local authorities for plastic packaging to be recycled, but that there was a perception that the packaging industry is doing nothing to help.

” We haven't found any markets for anything other than plastic bottles. “
– Cllr Roland Dibbs, Project Integra
And, they suggested it is not feasible to separate household plastic film from waste for recycling.

Also speaking at the South East England region round table event in Basingstoke, Peter Davis of the British Plastics Federation insisted plastic films can be recycled.

And, Mr Davis argued that food waste caused by inadequate packaging was just as much an issue as waste packaging ending up in household bins.

Cllr Roland Dibbs, chairman of Hampshire’s local authority waste partnership Project Integra, said: “In Hampshire all sorts of plastic bottles are recycled and Project Integra is always looking for new markets.

“But we haven't found any markets for anything other than plastic bottles. It would be delightful if we could recycle all plastic, and we would do if there was the market for us to do so,” he added.

Waste
Cllr Dibbs' comments were echoed by Cllr John Warder, chair of the waste partnership for Buckinghamshire, who described plastic film as the “worst” material and said it could not be separated and used. He added that a huge volume is being sent to waste.

Cllr Warder said: “The general public believe that we are doing nothing and they believe that the packaging industry is doing nothing. The packaging industry needs to be aware of the publics view.”

However Peter Davis, director general at the British Plastics Federation, responded to the claims, pointing out that plastic can all be recycled – including plastic film.

He also said that the food packaging industry in the UK was under a lot of pressure because it had to get 60 million people three meals a day.

Mr Davis said: “Consumers get more excited about damaged and spoilt food than they the amount of packaging that is produced.” He added that the damaged packaging issue was not as big a deal for consumers at the moment because it was very rare.