UK not ready to meet plastic recycling targets

The UK is not yet ready to meet the plastic packaging recycling targets set by the government for 2013-17, according to the head of plastic recycling body Recoup.

Addressing delegates during a session at last weeks RWM exhibition in Birmingham, Recoup chief executive Stuart Foster said that he did not think the industry had yet decided on the best way forward to meet the targets, and called for the recycling sector to work together to produce a clear strategy.

In December 2011 the government confirmed that plastics packaging recycling targets would rise from 32% at present to 57% by 2017 (see letsrecycle.com story). And, Mr Foster said that he felt that the target may be unachievable unless commercially viable end markets for much of the material collected become available.

Commenting on the targets, Mr Foster said: We need to get to 42% packaging recycling by 2017 that is an increase of over half a million tonnes [that will need to be collected] but I am not sure we are completely ready to take up this challenge at present.

Bottles

He also suggested that collections of plastic bottles, which currently form the bulk of the plastic packaging currently recycled in the UK, would have to increase beyond the 70% level which it is thought will enable the sector to meet its targets.

In addition he said that industry needed to focus on a clear recycling strategy and claimed that adding products such as mixed plastic pots, tubs and trays to recycling collections where sorting infrastructure has not yet developed could hinder the sectors progress toward meeting the targets.

He said: Demand outweighs supply significantly and more material is becoming available. We are collecting 49% of bottles, but for the other 51% to go to landfill is not good. It has been suggested that around 70% bottle recycling is needed to meet packaging recycling targets but I think it will be much more than this.

In addition, we will be collecting over 100,000 tonnes of pots and tubs this year, but I dont see the sorting capacity available and I am not sure the export market can handle it.

Communication

Finally, he noted that the On-Pack Recycling Label while an important communications tool to inform the public about which materials are recyclable needed to be made more consistent to reflect the available recycling infrastructure across the country and make recycling simpler for the public.

On pack labelling is very important as the message can sometimes get a bit complex. We need to get more consistency- what we do disagree with is messages such as Recyclable where facilities exist as there is no consistent message and that does not work.