UKRI unveils £6m for plastic recycling research projects

These projects aim to reduce the significant environmental impact of plastics, extend their useful lifespan, and enhance their value.

The projects are as follows:

• Achieving Sustainability of Absorbent Hygiene Products: Aims to design a sustainable system for production, use, and disposal of absorbent hygiene products
  Led by Professor Mark Miodownik at University College London        
• A Circular Economy for Medical Testing Plastics: Focuses on creating a circular economy for waste plastic generated from medical testing
  Led by Professor Andrew Dove at the University of Birmingham        
• A New Approach to Recycling Multilayer Packaging: Aims to develop recycling technology for multilayer packaging. Integration of mechanical, chemical, and biochemical techniques for effective recycling
  Led by Dr Agnieszka Brandt-Talbot at Imperial College London
• Breaking Down Plastic Waste Quickly, Cleanly and Cheaply: Aims to develop a microwave-based process to break down plastic waste. Focuses on producing reusable plastics and reducing carbon emissions from recycling.
  Led by Dr Daniel Slocombe at the University of Cardiff
• Transforming Textile Waste into Recycled Plastics: Focuses on recovering polyester and cellulose from mixed cotton/polyester fibres. Aims to re-spin recovered materials into new textile products
  Led by Professor Chenyu Du at University of Huddersfield

Pollution

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “Plastic pollution has devastating impacts on our environment and wildlife, and I am determined that we move away from a ‘take, make, throw’ model and shift towards a circular economy for plastics.

“We have already prohibited the supply of a number of problematic single-use plastic items and will introduce further bans and restrictions in October this year. Our single-use carrier bag charge alone has cut sales in the main supermarkets by 97%.

“These ambitious projects will support our efforts to reduce the environmental damage caused by plastics and move towards a circular economy.”

Projects

The research projects are expected to yield numerous benefits, UKRI said, including reductions in waste and pollution, decreased reliance on virgin raw materials, and significant contributions to achieving net-zero carbon emissions.

The funding for these projects is provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), both part of government-funded UKRI. The EPSRC is contributing £5 million, while the BBSRC is providing £1 million.

Globally, the world produces 300 million tonnes of plastic annually, while the UK alone consumes 5 million tonnes of plastic each year, with 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging discarded. The initiative recognises the “pressing need for innovative approaches to ensure the sustainability of plastics and their usage”.