UK recyclers dispute prime minister’s comments

Recent comments by U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson perceived as denigrating plastic recycling efforts have gained the attention of some recycling organizations in the United Kingdom.

In comments to students, Johnson reportedly said recycling plastic “doesn't begin to address the problem” of plastic in the environment, instead recommending “we’ve all got to cut down our use of plastic.”

Companies that have invested in the U.K. to collect and reprocess plastic scrap are taking issue with Johnson’s remarks.

“Much has already been achieved to improve recycling capture in the U.K., and the industry continues to invest in infrastructure and recycling capabilities,” says Stuart Foster, CEO of Peterborough, U.K.-based recycling-related not-for-profit organization Recoup.

Foster adds, “Plastics has an important role to play in our everyday lives from food packaging to medical services and health care. We are keen to work with government and other organizations to find the right solutions. Recycling is and will continue to be a part of the jigsaw as we seek to optimize resources and reduce carbon emissions to tackle climate change.”

Recoup says it works with trade bodies including Plastic Recyclers Europe, the British Plastics Federation and WRAP to “encourage brands, manufacturers and retailers to design plastics packaging with an end-of-life solution through their work on Recyclability by Design.”

Diane Crowe, group head of sustainability at Telford, U.K.-based resource management company Reconomy, says, “A huge amount of effort has gone into educating the U.K. public on the benefits of recycling and encouraging them to do so. This is reflected in us now successfully recycling around 44 percent of the plastic packaging produced in the U.K. Headlines like this can quickly undo all that hard work. It also sends out a terrible message to those wanting to build U.K. recycling infrastructure or invest in it.”

She continues, “While we all recognize the broader point that we must reduce our reliance on single-use plastics, recycling is important in the development of the circular economy and the sustainable design of many products. Recycled plastic also helps reduce other forms of waste when used appropriately in the packaging of perishable products such as food."

Crowe concludes, “Plastic is an incredibly versatile material with unique and diverse properties that make it the best choice for a variety of applications. Plastics only become a problem when we fail to recycle them. If we recycle them, they present a reusable, resilient and hygienic solution to many challenges across multiple sectors. To suggest that recycling plastic ‘doesn’t work’ is incorrect and misleading when the reality is that we need to recycle more of the plastic we use.”