'Recycling of plastic packaging rises steadily'

Since 2019, amount of paper packaging placed on the market has increased relative to plastic packaging while recycling of plastic packaging has increased steadily, states a new report, giving valuable insights into packaging market trends.

According to PackFlow 2023 report, commissioned by WRAP, since 2011, UK domestic recycling of plastic packaging has increased steadily. In 2021, it exceeded the amount of plastic waste exported for the first time. The reports also show us that, since 2019, the amount of paper packaging placed on the market has increased relative to plastic packaging.

Compared to previous Valpak PackFlow reports in 2019 and 2017, paper and card POM has reduced. Paper and card packaging recycling targets have flat-lined.

Glass POM is down from 2019 and, since then, the level of glass packaging recycling has risen steadily to meet modest year-to-year increases in targets. During the past five years, total glass packaging recycling has fluctuated in a range around 350–500k tonnes per quarter, states the report.

Plastic POM has fallen since Valpak’s reports in 2019 and 2017. A strong upward trend in the total amount of plastic packaging waste recycled over the period 2004–2022 was driven by increases in the recycling targets.

The report further adds that aluminium packaging placed on the market has increased. While there has been a slight upward trend in UK domestic recycling over the whole sample period, UK domestic recycling does not appear to be trended since around 2012.

Commenting on the report's findings, James Skidmore, director of consulting at Valpak, stated, “As we approach the full implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR), accurate data and baselines are more important than ever.

"The reports, which are used by UK governments to inform packaging policy, also offer valuable insights into packaging market trends. For example, we can see that since 2011, UK domestic recycling of plastic packaging has increased steadily. In 2021, it exceeded the amount of plastic waste exported for the first time. The reports also show us that, since 2019, the amount of paper packaging placed on the market has increased relative to plastic packaging.”