BPF study: UK government overstates current plastics packaging in market

A new report, commissioned by the British Plastics Federation's Recycling Group (BPFRG), concluded that the quantity of plastics packaging placed on the market currently calculated to be 2.5 million tons is overstated by 300-400 kilo ton per annum.

The report, produced by Phil Conran of 360 Environment Ltd, is done in response to a request from the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) to corroborate recycling rates. It analyzed the National Packaging Waste Database (NPDW) returns and indicates that the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)'s current assumption of a 2.5% growth rate for plastic packaging placed on the market is over optimistic.

According to the report, NPWD data has shown an overall flat position in the period 2006-2012 when the figures showed a significant decline. It concludes that for the last few years the UK plastics packaging chain has been performing better in its recycling achievement than has been reported to Europe.

The mistaken assumptions on which business targets are calculated can lead to unnecessarily high costs and with the EU considering higher recycling targets later in the decade could put the UK at a further disadvantage to other Member States, said BPF.

Roger Baynham, Chairman of the BPF's Recycling Group , notes, "It is disappointing that the UK's plastic recycling performance has been understated . It is crucial that the actual baseline from which targets are calculated are accurate so that compliance costs are not exaggerated."

Bruce Margetts, Chairman of the BPF's Packaging Group, echoes, "We need legislation based on facts and this report provides independent and authoritative validation of factors we are fully aware of in our own businesses. There has been a slowdown in consumer expenditure on packed goods and that through the Corporate Social Responsibility programs we are responding to there has been significant progress made in the light weighting of packaging."