Recycling Association concerned about plastic packaging export bans

Simon Ellin, association executive, warns that a plastic packaging export ban could adversely affect recycling in the United Kingdom.


The Recycling Association, Northampton, England, expresses concern over a call for a ban on the exports of plastic packaging for recycling. A report from Policy Connect, titled Plastics Packaging Plan: Achieving New Zero ‘Waste’ Exports, calls for “a target of net zero exports of recyclable plastic packaging by 2030 at the latest.” 

The Recycling Association reports that members of parliament support this policy, including Mary Creagh, Anne Main, Rebecca Pow, Barry Sheerman, Matt Western, Chris Williamson and Geraint Davies. Others who support it include Lord Deben, Baroness Jenkin, Anna McMorrin, Lord Teverson and Lord Smith. 

According to a news release from the Recycling Association, the association warned this could have an adverse reaction on recycling in the United Kingdom. 

“There are many legitimate companies that are successfully and sustainably exporting recyclable plastic packaging to destinations in Europe and Asia primarily,” says Simon Ellin, chief executive of the Recycling Association. “More often than not, they are sending material back to the point of manufacture to be made into the same or a new product, and this is part of the global circular economy. Plastics are a valuable commodity and we have to ensure that they are recycled where it is most economically and environmentally sustainable to do so.”

Ellin continues, “It is now very difficult to export plastics to Asian countries, and those that still allow it have very strict rules, regulations and inspection regimes to prevent ‘waste’ from entering their countries. But those countries that still import material recognize the economic benefits recycling brings and want the material for their manufacturing industries. Nobody wants to buy waste, but they want to buy a secondary commodity they can use.”

Ellin reports that the industry needs to ensure that packaging manufacturers and retailers put easily recyclable packaging on the market. He adds that local authorities need to ensure that their collection and sorting systems are designed to avoid contaminating the material.

“That way we create a valuable product that will be in demand from the export market, as well as giving British plastics recyclers a better quality material too. We’ve got to put quality first,” he says. “I’m in favor of increased investment in U.K. plastic recycling infrastructure, and I am hoping the Resources & Waste Strategy will enable that to happen. But we also shouldn’t take the risk of removing competition from export markets. We do not want a situation where plastic packaging can only be recycled in the UK and that then makes plastic recycling more expensive.”

According to a news release from the Recycling Association, Ellin notes that there are some good items included in the plastics packaging plan, but he says “the idea of banning recyclable plastic packaging could potentially be very damaging to U.K. recycling.”

“It is very dangerous therefore to state that all plastics exports should be banned when there is very little in the Resources & Waste Strategy which is aimed at growing U.K. markets,” Ellin concludes. “Indeed, if we add the uncertainties of Brexit into the mix, we believe we need to retain as many compliant recycling routes as possible.”

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