UK Study Finds Many Plastics Recyclers Failing to Meet Goals

The United Kingdom’s Environment Minister, Elliot Morley expressed disappointment as a Government investigation has revealed that some plastics recyclers have failed to meet Government requirements on recycling.

The investigation has shown that reprocessors and exporters have been incorrectly issuing compliance documentation - Packaging Waste Recovery Notes and Packaging Waste Export Recovery Notes during 2002 and 2003 which has made it appear that they were recycling more plastic packaging waste than they were. In a limited number of cases the police have been notified and investigations are currently underway.

"I am extremely disappointed that a number of reprocessors have been operating inappropriately. The fact-finding team should be congratulated for finding these inconsistencies and it is now up to us to ensure that bad practice does not continue. Only by doing this will we ensure the wider credibility of our recycling system,” said Morley

As a result of the investigation and taking into account also the Agency's monitoring work, the figures for plastic packaging waste recycled in 2002 will be reduced by 34,790 metric tons, replacing a provisional reduction of 64,600 metric tons. Figures for 2003 will be reduced by 80,885 metric tons. This means that the amount of plastic packaging waste recycled in 2002 is now 360,418 metric tons (20.7 percent) and 321,205 metric tons last year (17.9 percent). However, these figures could be subject to further revision as a result of ongoing police investigations and Agency monitoring.

The investigation was carried out by the Department, in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government, the Northern Ireland administration, the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service in Northern Ireland.

Following the same format as the wood packaging waste fact finding exercise last year, representatives of the Agencies, the Department and the administrations, together with the consultant auditors, sought to examine the robustness of existing recording and monitoring systems and audit trails adopted by reprocessors and exporters to manage the allocation and issue of PRNs and PERNs.

"In the short term the Agency will need to focus their attention on the issues identified in the fact finding mission report and take action where necessary. Looking to the future, the Government and the Agencies will shortly be discussing with the British Plastic Federation (BPF) and the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) ways to combat inappropriate behavior of this kind".

Mr Morley concluded :