Recycling rates have improved but some 2025 targets unlikely to be met
- Recycled content in packaging has more than doubled in three years
- Massive reduction in unnecessary and hard to recycle components in packaging
- But 70% recycling rate may not be possible without widespread plastic bag collection
- Supermarket collection points to play an even more vital role in meantime
Recycling rates in the UK have improved significantly since 2018 but more urgent action is required to meet environmental targets, a new report from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has revealed.
WRAP’s latest annual report on the UK Plastics Pact – signed by a collection of business and government organisations in 2018 to tackle the problem of plastic waste – shows that the group is currently on track to meet only two of its four targets for 2025.
Huge reductions have been made in the use of problem plastics in the last three years, whilst the level of recycled content in packaging has more than doubled over that period.
But two ambitious targets on recycling levels in the UK are unlikely to be met, thanks largely to inadequate plastic bag recycling provision in the UK, along with the closure of export markets.
WRAP’s director of collaboration and change Catherine David said: “COP27 made it clear that we are not on track to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Accelerating action by businesses is paramount.
“The businesses signed up to our agreement are leading the way in transforming the plastic packaging sector, demonstrating what is possible, and helping inform government’s thinking on needed regulatory levers.
“Today’s reports show the mountain we need to climb, and we call on all businesses to join us on this journey and be part of changing our consumption systems in line with a sustainable future.”
2025 targets
Led by WRAP, the 2018 UK Plastics Pact saw a collection of businesses, associates and supporters commit to four ambitious targets aimed at reducing plastic waste by 2025.
With the halfway point to these targets now behind us, the Pact’s 2021-22 annual report gives an “honest appraisal” of its progress against these targets, examples of good collaboration and innovation, along with an assessment of the challenges it faces.
Target 1: Eliminate problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic
Progress: There has been an 84% reduction in problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics between 2018 and 2021. This equates to 620 million fewer items on the shelf (114m vs 734m) with tonnage down to 9,000 tonnes – a reduction of 57%.
Tesco was highlighted in the report for taking a positive lead, having removed more than 1.7 billion pieces of plastic, including plastic wrapping from tin multipacks and branded beer and cider, additional lids from wipes, creams, yoghurts and desserts, as well as plastic forks from prepared salads.
Target 2: 100% of plastics packaging to be reusable, recyclable or compostable
Progress: 70% of plastic packaging is recyclable today – up from 66% in 2018. For rigid plastics, this figure is now 92%, up from 81% in 2018. There has also been a 90% reduction in hard-to-recycle plastics.
However, despite this progress, WRAP warns that inadequate provision for the recycling of plastic bags means the overall target will not be met by 2025.
Soft-plastic recycling is available at many major supermarkets, with Aldi recently becoming the latest to offer recycling points across its UK stores by the end of this year.
WRAP has welcomed this initiative, but has warned that at-scale recycling of bags and wrapping through kerbside collections will be required for the UK Plastics Pact to meet this ambitious target.
The report also highlights the need for the many trials to move to reusable packaging to be scaled.
Target 3: 70% of plastic packaging effectively recycled or composted
Progress: 50% of plastic packaging is recycled – up from 44% in 2018.
However, despite this progress, WRAP warns that members will not meet this target by 2025, as the recycling rate actually fell between 2020 and 2021.
For the first time in nearly 20 years the amount of plastic packaging processed in the UK exceeds the amount exported – largely due to the closure of export markets for recycled packaging.
So despite an increase in the amount of plastic packaging being recycled in the UK, with much more plastic to be recycled, the overall recycling rate declined last year.
WRAP highlights the need for significant investment in UK recycling, particularly as export markets become less reliable.
Target 4: 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging
Progress: Recycled content levels have risen from 8.5% in 2018 to 22% in 2021.
The reduction in the use of virgin plastic, combined with this increase in recycled content delivered a saving of 260,000 tonnes of CO2e. This is a 9% reduction in CO2e since 2018, which is equivalent to taking 119,000 cars off the road.
Pact members placed 205,000 tonnes of recycled content in primary packaging ahead of the introduction of the Plastic Packaging Tax in April 2022.
UK manufacturers have also followed suit, with a greater offering of recycled-content products available than just 12 months ago.
Leading the way is Polybags, who this year introduced over 100 new products containing 30% or more recycled content across more than a dozen product ranges.
Among them are a number of their most popular products, including these best-selling mailing bags made from 100% recycled material.
Images courtesy of WRAP. The UK Plastics Pact annual report is available on the WRAP website.
