You may have heard about the ‘flex-collect’ three-year trial currently under way, which involves kerbside collections of specified soft plastics as part of the usual weekly collection by some councils. Recoup reported that the UK produced 309,000 tonnes of flexible plastic packaging, but only 8 per cent of this was collected for recycling.
The aim of this trial is to collect data and insights for all councils to introduce similar collections by 2027.
However, before we cheer this development, let’s stop and ask a few questions. Does the move encourage us to reduce reliance on single-use plastic? Is it just perpetuating the use of fossil fuels? Who will the councils be selling it to? Where will it end up; are we guaranteed that it will be processed in the UK or will it complete its journey by being taken abroad to other countries to pollute their environment? Or just incinerated?
Typically, this type of low-density polyethylene can only be recycled once and, of course, all plastics have a limit on how often they can be recycled. The more we recycle plastic, the more degraded it becomes and eventually this plastic becomes waste.
By applauding recycling, are we just encouraging manufacturers to continue using these products under the ‘greenwashing’ guise of it being ‘recyclable’?
Our efforts should be towards reducing the production and use of these materials in the first place. Instead we find that manufacturers are increasing plastic production and it is estimated that plastic waste is set to triple by 2060.
Some manufacturers have begun to move towards more sustainable packaging and we, as consumers, have the power to drive this change. However, we need to remember too that packaging marked as ‘compostable’ and ‘biodegradable’ isn’t necessarily the answer either and cannot be collected kerbside. These items either need specialist facilities, of which there are very few in the UK, or a combination of specific conditions to breakdown. No wonder we are all left feeling slightly befuddled!
Instead of feeling good because we’ve recycled that packaging, let’s push harder by choosing to buy loose and going for refillable options wherever possible.
People-power can achieve great things and small changes in your buying habits will mean less of this stuff to dispose of. Refuse, reduce, re-use, repair first!
Recycled plastic doesn’t leave the planet, it just turns into a new problem for the future. Single-use is no use.
