The UK could end its dependence on plastic waste exports by 2030 to support the creation of 5,400 new jobs and take responsibility for the environmental impact of its waste, according to a study.
The report says up to 15 new recycling facilities could be built by the end of the decade, attracting more than £800 million in private investment. The increased capacity will help generate almost £900 million in economic value each year, generating at least £100 million in new tax revenue each year.
The report from consultancy Hybrid Economics comes as UK plastic exports grow by 5% in 2024. almost 600,000 tons of garbage.
Exporting plastic creates environmental problems for many of the countries that receive it, as they are unable to recycle it. The report also claims it removes valuable raw materials for the UK's recycling industry.
Campaigners want to close a loophole that makes it cheaper to export plastic waste rather than recycle it in the UK. In the first half of this year, exports to Indonesia, a country combating the environmental crisis from plastic pollution – in particular, amounting to more than 24,000 tons.
By exporting the unrecycled plastic waste it produces, the UK is shirking responsibility for tackling its own waste and depriving itself of economic opportunity, the report says.
Last month The Guardian reported that over the past two years 21 plastic processing and processing plants across the UK have closed due to the scale of exports, low prices for virgin plastics and an influx of cheap products from Asia.
Neville Hill, partner Hybrid economywhich produced the report said the UK is using only half its capacity to recycle plastic waste.
“Ending the export of unprocessed plastic packaging waste by 2030 will enable the UK to take control of its environmental responsibilities and take advantage of clear economic opportunities,” he said. “Our analysis shows that the sector can expand significantly without attracting public funds, provided the government sets the right framework.”
after promoting the newsletter
The payment method currently encourages the export of plastic waste rather than encouraging businesses to store it in the UK for recycling.
James McLeary, managing director of Biffa Polymers, which commissioned the report, said the company had recycled 10 billion high-density polyethylene plastic milk bottles over the past 20 years. He described it as a circular economy success story.
“The lesson is simple,” he said. “Given the right conditions, UK recycling is growing, investment is rising and environmental and economic benefits are increasing year on year. The UK can replicate this success across all plastic packaging and take responsibility for recycling its own waste onshore.”
The report calls for an increase in the plastic packaging tax, which is levied on manufacturers who do not include at least 30% recycled plastic in their products, to 50%, as well as a complete halt to the export of unrecycled plastic packaging waste.
