This is among the findings of Recoup’s annual UK Households Plastic Packaging Survey, now in its 20th year, which examines the levels of collection of plastic for recycling from UK households.
The headline finding of the survey, which was compiled with the support of rigid plastic packaging producer RPC, is that 464,433 tonnes of plastic packaging was collected from UK households in 2013, an increase of 24,000 tonnes (5.5%) on the previous year.
In anticipation of the launch of the Pledge 4 Plastics campaign, which officially began in September (see letsrecycle.com story), Recoup has also gathered data on the number of local authorities seeking to implement communications campaigns around plastic collections.
The Pledge 4 Plastics campaign, backed by Defra, includes resources for councils to use to encourage householders to increase the amount of waste plastic collected for recycling.
Campaigns
According to the recycling body, over a third of councils – 35% – ran a communications initiative to boost plastics recycling in 2014, compared to just 12% of councils in 2013. And, Recoup added, of the authorities not running a campaign, 47% said it was something they would like to do but were currently unable to.
Steve Morgan, Recoup’s technical manager, said: “Consumer communications have very much risen to the fore of strategic thinking and it’s encouraging to see the plans and demand to run plastics recycling communications campaigns.
“We encourage all local authorities to use the toolkit as it provides a wide range of resources to ensure consistency in any plastic packaging recycling communications. The resources could easily be used on council websites or newsletters.”
Funding
Recoup has noted that securing funding for the future of the Pledge 4 Plastics campaign is a ‘priority’, and in his introduction to the report, Recoup chief executive Stuart Foster has reiterated his call for more funding from the plastics supply chain to be used to support communications projects.
He wrote: “Through the implementation of the packaging regulations, an estimated £20 million will be generated from the plastic packaging supply chain by the end of 2014 to assist with recycling. There is a need to ensure these funds are allocated in line with priorities.
“From data in this report, we know that the kerbside infrastructure for household plastic collections is not matched by recycling levels. There is a need for more effective consumer communications. Pledge 4 Plastics was launched earlier this year, and I strongly encourage all local authorities to look into this initiative and get involved.”
Collection
Elsewhere in the survey, Recoup notes that the collection level for plastic bottles has reached a stable level, with 400 of the UK’s 406 collection authorities providing a kerbside collection service including plastic bottles, with an increase of around 10,000 tonnes of the material collection in 2013. Bottles make up 70% of the plastic waste collected from households.
Meanwhile, 271 councils offer a kerbside collection service for pots, tubs and trays – with 14,000 tonnes more of the material collected during 2013, an increase of 11%. According to Recoup, if another 34 councils collect PTT, the On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) scheme will have to consider changing the advice for PTT from ‘check local recycling’ to ‘widely recycled’.
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