WRAP issues guidance for rigid plastics collections

Including non-bottle rigid plastic packaging in recycling collections is a potential environmental and economic quick win and can provide an opportunity for local authorities to boost recycling rates.

This was the message from the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) which published guidance for collecting and sorting household non-bottle rigid plastic packaging yesterday (May 10).

However, the organisation is urging councils only to consider introducing non-bottle rigids into the recycling stream if they are confident that the infrastructure is in place for them to be sorted and reprocessed.

The guide encourages councils to consider the benefits of adding rigid plastic packaging to recycling collections and outlines the UKs current capability to handle non-bottle rigid plastic packaging and the established markets for the material.

The document also discusses the design of recycling schemes to include non-bottle rigid plastics, how to successfully communicate these changes to residents and the practical challenges involved with collecting rigid plastics.

Collection

Linda Crichton, head of collections and quality at WRAP, said: We know householders want to recycle more of their plastic packaging and that increasing numbers of local authorities want to collect it, the challenge is to collect and recycle it effectively without reducing the quality and value of the plastic bottle stream.

Our new guide and communications material launched today provide information on how to collect these materials, and how to communicate with householders to ensure these materials are recycled as effectively as possible.

On the topic of when to introduce collections, Ms Crichton said: It is important that local authorities only collect non-bottle rigid plastics if they have access to the facilities to sort and reprocess them. If non-bottle plastics are simply added to the plastic bottle recycling stream without the sorting infrastructure in place, they will become a contaminant and probably end up in landfill.

Value

According to WRAP, around 90% of rigid plastic packaging (more than one million tonnes per year) including pots, trays and tubs are not currently being recycled, despite anecdotal evidence that these materials are growing in value at around 40 per tonne.

WRAP also claims that studies have provided evidence that householders are keen to recycle rigid plastic packaging, and where collections are provided, yields of all recyclables increase.

WRAPs guide aims to help local authorities to maximise the value of the plastic packaging streams they collect for recycling.

Advice from plastics processors quoted in the guide also states that flexible plastic packaging such as films and bags should be kept separate from rigid packaging and not included in kerbside collect ions. WRAP has said that it will shortly be releasing guidance on the collection of film plastics.