Circular Online speaks to British Plastics Federation Sustainability Manager Helen Jordan about the Federation’s Recycling Roadmap and the effectiveness of the Plastic Packaging Tax.
What are the main challenges to achieving a 70% rate for recycling and reuse by 2035?
The new edition of the BPF Recycling Roadmap, which we produced in collaboration with RECOUP, shows that this can be achieved.
But it requires increasing investment in plastic recycling technology and infrastructure so that much more material can be recycled within the UK, reducing our reliance on exporting plastic waste for recycling.
We also need the systems already in place to be optimised together with supporting legislation that permits more material to be recycled (without compromising safety concerns).
Also, simplifying and improving the collection systems in the UK, ideally with essentially a nationwide approach, will have the knock-on effect of simplifying the entire conversation around plastic recycling, making it far easier for people to understand what can and cannot be recycled. This in turn should improve collection rates and recycling rates.
There are challenging market conditions for plastic recycling companies, which could impact on achieving the forecast. Since the roadmap was released, there have been announcements of two facilities that are due to close.
This makes implementing the changes in the roadmap even more important, to create a supportive legislative landscape that also provides a revenue stream for recyclers.
What legislation and policy are needed to advance the recycling and reuse goal?
The first edition was published in 2021 and many of the changes it highlighted still have not happened.
Challenging economic circumstances have played a role but so have delays in implementing key policies, such as accepting mass balance methodology to aid the growth of chemical recycling technologies.
The initial goal of reaching a recycling rate of 69% by 2030 had to be modified as it is no longer realistic.
We can reach 70% by 2035, as the updated edition highlights. But this still requires urgent collective action from the government and industry, as well as support from the public.
The government has now confirmed mass balance will be accepted within the scope of the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), which will hopefully increase investment in this area, although no timescale is set.
But it is important to remember that mechanical recycling needs support and investment too. Ideally, we would like to see funds raised by the PPT allocated to expanding the UK’s plastic recycling infrastructure. Reform of the PRN system could also encourage domestic recycling.
Reviewing the UK’s food contact regulations could also allow more recycled content to be used in certain applications when it does not compromise safety.
To support the need to include recycled content in particular packaging products, a well-designed verification and tracing system is required. Official quality standards for bales of recycled plastic material would also help stimulate a healthy market for UK recyclate.
Legislative and financial support to develop an infrastructure for reuse and repair is currently lacking, as is unified design guidance for producing particular plastic products for either reuse or recycling.
What would create the right atmosphere to increase investment?
The forecast in the document was put together using a scenario-based approach, and it emphasises that a lot can still be achieved within a decade.
Achieving a 70% reuse and recycling rate will see an extra 23% of total plastic waste being mechanically recycled within the UK and an extra 6% being chemically recycled.
This “desired scenario” means 15% less plastic being sent to energy recovery facilities and 13% of the UK’s total plastic waste being reused. Achieving this could save one million tonnes of carbon (CO2e) emissions compared to a worst-case scenario.
I believe that sending the right messages will increase the confidence of investors. It needs to be strongly communicated that plastic recycling works and needs to be optimised to help businesses and the country achieve their environmental objectives, and a significant reduction in the amount of plastic waste exported for recycling will benefit the planet as well as the UK economy. We also need legislation to support this, to create a revenue stream for recyclers.
How can communication and collection systems be improved?
This requires clear, concise communication to residents and businesses, supported by regular campaigns that could be partly funded by Extended Producer Responsibility.
As mentioned, simplifying collection systems so the same plastic packaging formats are collected by all local authorities in the UK will make messaging much easier.
There are also items that are not collected at the kerbside, such as small cosmetic items. The best recycling option for these needs to be clearly identified and scaled up where it makes sense. An option for these, which is already used, is take-back schemes.
There are also material resources available from waste produced from long-life applications such as construction and demolition, household appliances, and vehicles.
How to implement waste separation systems to harvest as much of this plastic material as possible from these sources should also be swiftly investigated.
How important is the UK Government allowing a mass balance approach for the Plastic Packaging Tax?
The forecast highlights that the amount of material chemically recycled within the UK by 2030 is 200kT lower than the first roadmap indicated, although the document notes that 400kT of chemically recycled material is possible by 2035, if certain obstacles are overcome.
The most significant of these obstacles was the need to clarify whether mass balance methodology is acceptable within the scope of PPT.
Thankfully, this has now happened. However, the timescale is still unclear, which could still prevent investment decisions.
From the point of investment, businesses still need to source suitable sites and build the required facilities, which will take maybe five years – possibly more.
The government therefore needs to continue to support the chemical recycling industry, sending the right signals so that the UK remains an attractive place to invest and can benefit from functioning sites as soon as possible.
RECOUP recently called for “better enforcement” of the PPT, do you agree?
The BPF is also concerned about fraud within the PPT and it is an issue that is regularly raised by BPF members. The BPF has raised this concern with ministers and it is essential that there is better enforcement of the tax.
A recognised verification/certification system for recycled content is needed to support this. The current situation is making it increasingly difficult for some legitimate UK companies to compete. Ultimately that could lead to job losses and site closures.
The BPF has produced a position paper on fraud and waste crime, which covers this area in more detail.
