The British Plastic Federation's Recycling Group (BPF, London / UK; www.bpf.co.uk), the trade association for UK plastic recyclers, is calling for a reform that would split the plastics packaging recycling targets to differentiate between recycling within the local market – the UK and the EU – and material is exported beyond European boundaries. In its recently released 2014 manifesto, the group suggests its policy reform could be achieved utilising the existing PRN/PERN mechanism allowing for a progressive weighting towards increased local recycling year-on-year.

A PRN, or packaging recovery note, is a type of document that provides proof that the waste packaging material has been recycled into a new product. It is an essential component of the “Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007” covering the UK.

“The proposals are designed not only to provide a route map to deliver the best environmental outcomes from plastic waste, but also to create new low carbon manufacturing jobs in the vanguard of the circular economy,” notes Roger Baynham, chairman of the BPFRG, adding, “We believe the future proofing of markets for waste can only be achieved by ensuring that traction exists to encourage investment in recycling infrastructure and innovation to develop new markets and applications for recycled plastics.”

In addition, the organisation has outlined a series of policies that focus on driving the use of increased volumes of recycled plastics in UK manufacturing to create revenue and employment opportunities.

The declaration coincides with the EU pushing for a fundamental review of its waste strategy through 2030 and proposing landfill bans and substantially higher recycling targets for municipal waste and packaging materials – see Plasteurope.com of 04.07.2014.

e-Service:
BPF Recycling Group Manifesto 2014 as a PDF file