A new survey on the UK public’s support for recycled content in plastic bottles has found that 68% of respondents support a GBP 0.1 price increase for two-pint milk bottles that contain at least 30% recycled material and can also be recycled after use. Only 10% of those polled opposed the price increase, the YouGov (London / UK; http://yougov.co.uk) survey found, adding that 38% were in strong support, and 30% expressed a tendency to support such a hike.

Carried out at the behest of the Resource Association (Otley, West Yorkshire / UK; www.resourceassociation.com), the poll also found that 71% of respondents would support government legislation requiring manufacturers to use a minimum amount of recycled content in plastic packaging products, with only 6% opposed.

Commenting on the results of the survey, which was carried out among 2,006 adults in late March, Resource Association CEO Ray Georgeson said, “The decision-makers in the supply chain must take note, wake up and act to support UK reprocessing through the storm of low oil prices and the turbulence this is causing to the sustainability of the UK plastic milk bottle processing infrastructure.”

HDPE blow moulding recyclate prices have been rising steadily, as many processors are increasingly resorting to secondary material as an alternative to the tight and expensive primary grades – for more details on the latest standard recyclate prices, see Plasteurope.com of 17.04.2015.