The British Plastics Federation (BPF, London / UK; www.bpf.co.uk) is concerned that the low oil price is threatening the viability of the UK plastics recycling industry. Several areas of plastics recycling are becoming increasingly uncompetitive, the BPF said, adding that this is endangering the recycling record of the entire supply chain.

“Plastics recycling is an essential component of the whole chain’s sustainability message and we should not allow our record to regress,” BPF director-general Philip Law said. The federation is calling on downstream companies to keep in mind that recycling targets have to be met under the Packaging Waste Regulations as well as corporate social responsibility programmes.

The BPF's recent poll among its member companies revealed what it called a "further flat lining of business confidence" for 2015 – see Plasteurope.com of 11.03.2015.