Export restrictions prompt plastics recycling fears

Moves to restrict imports of plastic packaging waste to the Far East from Europe could make the UKs plastic packaging recycling targets more difficult to achieve, plastic film producers have warned.

Last month, the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection put forward proposals to implement a ban on unwashed post-consumer plastic material from entering Chinese facilities, as well as banning the sale of imported plastic waste to a company other than those approved to import the material.

This was followed by measures put in place by Malaysian authorities banning the import of all solid plastic waste from the European Union, reported by letsrecycle.com last week (see letsrecycle.com story).

According to the Packaging and Films Association (PAFA) which represents packaging producers in the UK, bans on sending plastic waste to the Far East, the UKs largest export market for the material, could see the sector fall short of the target set by Defra to recycle 57% of plastic packaging waste by 2017.

And, the group is calling for the government to increase spending on plastic recycling infrastructure to reduce its reliance on overseas processors and to prevent the cost of recycling escalating for packaging producers.

PAFA chief executive Barry Turner said: The new recycling targets, already criticised as unrealistic due to the lack of adequate collection and recycling infrastructure, will fail even sooner than expected if these new developments in the Far East come about.

This will require a significant investment in Europe to fill the size of the hole created which will require time to develop, but such moves would have a huge impact on the waste industry in the UK, especially when it comes to meeting plastic recycling targets set by Defra.

Infrastructure

And, Mr Turner claims that if Europe is subject to increased restrictions from the Asian export market, it is likely to make the 57% recycling target for plastic packaging unattainable, and he has warned that the UK is currently desperately short of recycling facilities to handle the excess material that might arise if export restrictions continue.

He said: With much of the 67% of Britains plastic waste being exported to the Far East, particularly China, according to Defra statistics, and the UK already desperately short of plastic collection and recycling facilities, I believe reaching the target of 57% by 2017 will be even more unrealistic and out of touch.

Last year, Defra was advised against this unachievable level of targets by its own advisory committee and now we are witnessing previously unforeseen moves in the Far East which will make them even more unattainable. There is no joined-up thinking on waste and recycling targets and it is clear that the burden of cost and responsibility is being forced on UK manufacturers and retailers at a time they can least afford it.