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Will the UK Ever Stop Exporting Plastic Waste?
Will the UK Ever Stop Exporting Plastic Waste?
Much of the plastic that the British government claims is being recycled is in fact being sent overseas, usually to countries that don’t have the systems in place to carry out recycling on such a large scale. For example, in 2020, the UK exported over 688,000 tonnes of discarded plastic packaging, while only 486,000 tonnes was kept and recycled in the UK.
Since China’s ban on the import of a variety of different types of plastic in 2017, Turkey has become one of the key receivers of British plastic waste. In 2020, we exported nearly 210,000 tonnes of plastic to Turkey, which amounts to around a third of all the waste that we exported that year.
Why is the UK exporting so much plastic?
The main reason why we’re exporting so much of the plastic waste that we generate here in the UK is because we’re simply not capable of recycling all of it. Exporting the majority of the plastic that we produce alleviates a great deal of the strain and makes it easier to hit our testing recycling targets.
What happens to the waste once it’s been exported?
Unfortunately, given that many of the countries that we’re sending waste to do don’t have the infrastructure to properly recycle it, much of the waste we export is simply being incinerated. For example, an investigation by Greenpeace in Turkey found that plastic waste from retailers such as Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Aldi and Sainsbury’s had been dumped or incinerated. Given that Turkey has a recycling rate of around 12%, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
What needs to be done in order to stop this exportation?
First and foremost, there needs to be a ban on the exportation of plastic waste, and this is exactly what a group of cross-party MPs called for in November 2022. The MPs are urging that the ban should be implemented by 2027, giving us five years to get our act together. The report also included a further goal, namely that all of the plastic waste that we generate should be recycled, reused or composted by 2042.
One of the ways that we might be able to limit the amount of plastic that we create or import in the first place is through the Plastic Packaging Tax. This new piece of legislation ensures that those who manufacture or import plastic products that contain less than 30% recycled plastic pay tax on it. Ultimately, this will force manufacturers and other businesses to find more sustainable ways to produce their goods.
How likely is it that the UK will stop exporting plastic by 2027?
At the moment, it’s unclear as to whether the ban will go through. The initial report urged that the government should put a roadmap in place by March 2023 to demonstrate how they aim to stop the exportation of plastic waste, so we will have to wait and see how this pans out.
Brown Recycling is a leading waste management company in Stoke-on-Trent. We’re experts when it comes to plastic recycling, so if you have any questions on the subject, we would be happy to answer them. All you have to do is give us a call.
Got any burning questions?
You can ask us a question online using our contact form. Simply provide your name, email (purely for confirmation purposes) and the details of your enquiry, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Why choose Browns Recycling?
- Paper, Plastic & more recycled
- Dedicated recycling centre
- Aim for zero waste to landfill
What our clients say about us
“We are hugely grateful to Brown Recycling for their help on DIY SOS: The Big Build in Stoke. Dave and the team went above and beyond to clear the site and then bring in other suppliers who also supported this great cause. Thanks to the generosity of countless suppliers and volunteers, Stoke now has a community centre that will support its residents for many years to come.”
Read more testimonials
Plastic Recycling
- We can recycle a wide range of plastics
- Knowledgeable team can offer advice
- Scheduled collection at a time that suits you
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Excellent service on a recent Hazardous waste removal from one of our sites. Paddy and Stacey wasted no time in arranging for our waste to be removed in surprisingly quick turnaround. 10/10...
1 week ago -
Hired a skip to clear a huge pile of garden waste. Arrived on time, picked up bang on time, dead easy to book and pay. Courteous, helpful drivers. Job done! just as it should be, without drama. Highly...
1 month ago -
Very professional service and the customer service team are very helpful and knowledgeable. We have been working with browns and using their services for a number of years and cannot fault it. Very co...
1 month ago -
Terry was very efficient. We will use brown for skips again...
2 months ago -
Had problems with getting the skip into our drive but Browns persisted and 3 trucks later the 3rd driver got the job done. Incredible service from a very professional and competent company. Special me...
2 months ago -
Really efficient service, competitive price and they dropped off skip exactly where we asked them to. Easy to book a skip over the weekend using their online booking system. Very helpful when we nee...
3 months ago -
I ordered a skip at short notice and it arrived as requested. Having finished with it early Terry came and collected it very promptly which freed up the driveway. A Good service and reasonably priced....
3 months ago -
Brilliant service - I booked for the wrong date, but Browns were really helpful and changed the booking at the last minute....
4 months ago -
We chose Brown Recycling because out of the firms we rang the lady on the end of the phone knew exactly what we needed and was very helpful. ( Yes you can place a skip in a council paying car park) A...
5 months ago -
A big thanks to Phil, always helpful and polite when collecting cardboard, nothing too much trouble ....
5 months ago -
Christie has been great in providing us with a total review of our waste services on site. If you are looking at reviewing your waste service then I would highly recommend that you reach out to her as...
6 months ago -
really fast and a easy process. Thank you Christie...
6 months ago -
Christie has been most helpful and informative whilst booking a new service for plastic and general waste recycling. Would recommend :)...
6 months ago -
Christie was very helpful, she managed the whole process very efficiently and met our expectations. We now have the service and commercial offering we need for our business waste. We would recommend...
9 months ago -
Quick and really reliable service.... was a pleasure dealing with Christie!!!...
9 months ago -
Requested amendment to current waste collection. Very helpful and was able to answer all queries and adapt to our requirements. Definitely recommend...
10 months ago -
We had a visit today from Mark and Andy dropping off our new waste bin. I would just like to acknowledge their outstanding customer service. They disposed of the built up waste that we had gathered si...
11 months ago -
Full marks to Andy and Mark. Went above and beyond today and would highly recommend them to anybody looking to recycle large quantities of waste. Professional, efficient and very approachable...
11 months ago -
First time using Browns, they were clear, efficient and got the job done. Will continue to use their services....
1 year ago -
New to sorting a bin service for our new business. Christie and Brown Recyling has been great with helping us select the right type of bin required as well as not overspending for the sake of it. He...
1 year ago -
Super easy to set up a long term skip hire, Christie made things nice and clear and the prices were good too! everything was ready to go really quick, highly recommend Browns...
1 year ago