UK RECYCLING
COP26: Prime Minister Johnson says recycling “doesn't work” / Recoup warns of public reaction / BPF calls for more government spending on reclaim ops
 Will the prime minister’s comments hurt UK public support for recycling? (Photo: Adobe Stock/by-studio) |
Days before the start of the 2021 UN climate change conference (COP26) of world leaders in Glasgow, Scotland, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed that plastics recycling “doesn’t work” and said reusing plastic does little to address the problem of plastic waste.
Johnson was speaking to a group of schoolchildren ahead of the COP26 environmental summit, which begins in Glasgow on Sunday. A spokesman for the prime minister later qualified his statement, telling the BBC that Johnson continued to encourage recycling, although relying on it alone to solve the problem would be a “red herring”.
Johnson’s comments met with a predictable reaction from recycling and plastics organisations. A dismayed Recycling Association (Northampton; www.therecyclingassociation.com) told the BBC that the prime minister had “completely lost the plastic plot”, adding that his comments contradicted government policy.
Johnson was speaking to a group of schoolchildren ahead of the COP26 environmental summit, which begins in Glasgow on Sunday. A spokesman for the prime minister later qualified his statement, telling the BBC that Johnson continued to encourage recycling, although relying on it alone to solve the problem would be a “red herring”.
Johnson’s comments met with a predictable reaction from recycling and plastics organisations. A dismayed Recycling Association (Northampton; www.therecyclingassociation.com) told the BBC that the prime minister had “completely lost the plastic plot”, adding that his comments contradicted government policy.
Statement could undercut public support for measures
UK recycling group Recoup (Peterborough; www.recoup.org), also weighed in, suggesting Johnson’s comments would dent consumer confidence in UK recycling efforts.
Recoup chief executive Stuart Foster said: “When the government itself is introducing a tax on packaging that doesn’t contain 30% recycled content, which is heavily reliant on the citizen doing the right thing and recycling, this comment by the prime minister will result in an even bigger challenge to collect sufficient plastics from households to recycle to fulfil demand.”
“It is crucial we promote consumer confidence on the contribution of plastics recycling in reducing the environmental impact of packaging.”
In a less emotive statement, the British Plastics Federation (BPF, London; www.bpf.co.uk) said it would like the government to invest in future-proofing the UK’s recycling infrastructure “so more plastic can be recycled within the UK by 2030.”
The BPF said such investment would “create jobs, reduce the use of fossil fuels, make the circular economy a reality and enable the government to meet its own aim of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042.”
BPF director-general Philip Law said the UK plastics industry would “continue working with the government for the good of the environment and it is hugely important that plastic waste is managed better globally.”
Recoup chief executive Stuart Foster said: “When the government itself is introducing a tax on packaging that doesn’t contain 30% recycled content, which is heavily reliant on the citizen doing the right thing and recycling, this comment by the prime minister will result in an even bigger challenge to collect sufficient plastics from households to recycle to fulfil demand.”
“It is crucial we promote consumer confidence on the contribution of plastics recycling in reducing the environmental impact of packaging.”
In a less emotive statement, the British Plastics Federation (BPF, London; www.bpf.co.uk) said it would like the government to invest in future-proofing the UK’s recycling infrastructure “so more plastic can be recycled within the UK by 2030.”
The BPF said such investment would “create jobs, reduce the use of fossil fuels, make the circular economy a reality and enable the government to meet its own aim of eliminating avoidable plastic waste by 2042.”
BPF director-general Philip Law said the UK plastics industry would “continue working with the government for the good of the environment and it is hugely important that plastic waste is managed better globally.”
28.10.2021 Plasteurope.com [248880-0]
Published on 28.10.2021