Recoup Reports Increase in Plastic Bottles Collected for Recycling

British group reports a recovery rate of 45 percent for plastic bottles in the U.K.

According to a report released by Recoup, a group that works to maximize efficient plastics recycling in the U.K., the plastic bottle recycling rate in the U.K. stands at 45 percent, a 6 percent increase from 2009 figures.

The report was commissioned by Recoup and sponsored by the consumer products company Reckitt Benckiser Group plc using data gathered from U.K. local authorities and waste management companies.
Recoup’s 2010 UK Household Plastics Packaging Collection Survey notes that more than 260,000 metric tons of plastic bottles were collected last year, including 215,000 metric tons collected through curbside programs in the United Kingdom.
The report also notes that 84 local authorities in the U.K. are collecting non-bottle plastics for recycling, with more than 40,000 metric tons of mixed plastics collected in 2009.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Marcel Arsand, a spokesman for Recoup says, “These (statistics) represent the initial headlines from the 2010 survey. We are encouraged that there appears to be positive and steady progress in the U.K., a reflection of the good work of all those involved across the local authority and waste management sectors, and of the course the consumers who are recognizing the importance of recycling and playing their part.”
More information on the report is available at www.recoup.org.