Whether the UK does or does not go through with Brexit and whether we are or are not ruled by Europe’s new Circular Economy legislation, the thinking is already part of government thinking. As an island, we must do what all islands must do and be more self-sufficient. Circular economy thinking!
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As recently stated by Defra:
"The Government wants to create a vibrant market for recycled materials in the UK. Our forthcoming Resources and Waste Strategy will set out measures to deliver on these ambitions".
In August this year, the Government published a summary of the 162,000 responses received in response to its consultation survey about single-use plastic waste.
- The most likely actions include a plastics tax from 2022 on all packaging that does not include at least 30% recycled material. Most experts seem to accept that this should stimulate new investment in plastic recycling innovation and capacity.
- The most likely actions include a plastics tax from 2022 on all packaging that does not include at least 30% recycled material. Most experts seem to accept that this should stimulate new investment in plastic recycling innovation and capacity.
- Some environmental groups suggest that this does not go far enough and recycling schemes are likely to get bogged down with the definitions for single use plastics. The groups of plastic products that are the most problematic should be focussed on instead.
- Many of the solutions proposed by environmental pressure groups, packaging producers and other stakeholders were opposed by most waste management recyclers claiming they would lead to greater confusion.
- With many experts claiming that, by 2050, there could be more waste plastic items in the ocean than fish, are the issues being taken seriously enough?
- However, the problem is not limited to plastic packaging. What about rigid plastics such as those that result in Automotive Shredder Residue (ASR). There are c. 2.5 million tonnes of End of Life vehicles scrapped in the UK each year and 17% of these are due to accidents. Ferrous and non-ferrous metals account for c. 76% with hard plastics and polymers accounting for c. 10%.
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