WRAP Urges More Plastics Recycling in the U.K.

The report on plastics identifies what it calls key developments in the U.K. markets for recovered plastic since 2007 and tracks trends in collections, existing and planned domestic reprocessing capacity, export markets, prices and legislative issues.

WRAP, based in Banbury, United Kingdom, says it has found increased U.K. demand for food-grade recovered polymers, in some cases with demand outstripping supply. This provides a market opportunity that supports greater investment in the plastics reprocessing infrastructure in the U.K. , say the report’s authors.

WRAP says it already has demonstrated, through the awarding of grants, the existence of technology for producing recycled food-grade polymers. Additionally, WRAP has developed a financial mechanism to assist investors in developing plastics recycling opportunities through its Accelerating Growth Fund.

The report notes that more attention is being turned toward the recycling of mixed plastics. WRAP announced that its first WRAP-funded mixed plastics reprocessing facility is scheduled to open in 2011. The non-profit group also recently launched a Mixed Plastics Loan Facility, which aims to assist the mixed plastics sector.

“WRAP’s report shows that the overall picture for plastics is positive,” says Marcus Gover, the group’s director of market development. “Despite the volatility in prices of the past two years, the market is strong.”.

Gover continues, “There has been extensive investment in U.K. plastics reprocessing capacity. However, the U.K. still exports a large proportion of the plastics it collects for recycling. Given the strong U.K. demand for high quality recycled plastics, this represents a great opportunity for U.K. manufacturers to exploit this green niche.”

 WRAP’s market situation report also offers other statistics on the plastics recycling sector in the U.K., including:

• The plastic bottle recycling rate now stands at more than 40 percent and there has been extensive investment in U.K. plastic bottle processing capacity over the past two years

• Attention is turning to collecting and developing infrastructure to recycle mixed packaging plastics, which currently have a recycling rate of less than 5 percent. Meanwhile, around 20 percent of local authorities operate curbside mixed plastic collections

• Recycling of non-packaging plastics also has increased, partly as a result of regulatory factors. However, a further driver for market development was the launch of its Non-Packaging Plastics Quality Protocol in May of 2009.

More information on WRAP, including its full 2010 report, can be found at www.wrap.org.uk/msr.