Did you know recycled plastic could supply 75% of demand in the UK?

New reports have shown that nearly three-quarters of the demand for plastic could be supplied with recycled plastic materials. In the UK we consume 3.3 million tonnes of plastic each year, but only 9% of domestic waste is recycled according to Green Alliance. This isn’t feasible in protecting the environment for the future generations, and it’s making the current plastic crisis even worse for local councils and recycling centres. 

The results published by Green Alliance should encourage the government to put more emphasis on recycling plastic and packaging. Introducing taxes on products made with non-recycled products could result in an additional 2 million tonnes of plastic being recycled by the UK according to the Green Alliance report. We need to start making real changes as a country and globally, instead of relying on sending waste to different countries - according to Libby Peake, senior policy adviser at Green Alliance, “If the UK wants to lead the world in addressing the global scourge of plastic pollution, that means creating a circular economy at home that allows us to turn discarded plastics back into new products. Just collecting plastic and shipping it abroad doesn't solve the problem.” 

Three measures to encourage plastic recycling 

• Short -term support to kickstart the plastic reprocessing market 
• Mandatory recycled content requirements for all plastic products and packaging
• Funding to stabilise the market for companies investing in recycling plastic domestically 

Reference: www.the guardian.com 

The director of Wrap UK, Peter Maddox recently commented on the report, “Our mission is to create a world where resources are used sustainably. To make this happen in the UK, we need to design circular systems for plastics and other materials that are sustainable both economically and environmentally. This will require some fundamental changes from all of us.” With UK Government encouragement, we could see a big difference in the attitudes towards plastic recycling from both domestic and commercial sectors in the next few years! 

Enjoyed this news post? Why not read: 

• Do you need an incentive to recycle? 
• Biggest recycling mistakes you're probably making 
• Costa Coffee promises to recycle half a billion disposable cups by 2020 

We are an experienced team of recycling specialists based in Dorset and Oxfordshire. We have expertise in all areas of recycling and waste disposal ranging from cardboard recycling and End of Life Vehicle Collection, to trade waste disposal and metal recycling. For more information about our recycling services, or for further advice on how you can make a difference at home, contact our team on 01202 67556