Latest news with #SimplerRecycling
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The supermarket bag-style charge campaigners want for single-use plastics
Half of UK adults want to see an additional charge on single-use plastic packaging, much like the supermarket bag charge introduced in 2015. This would see consumers face an additional charge for buying plastic-wrapped fruit, for example. Natalie Fée, founder of anti-plastic charity City to Sea, told Yahoo News that the organisation's research has shown that supermarket-bag-style charges are effective and that consumers like the idea. She said: "We know now that the public consistently respond positively to straightforward, transparent approaches to tackling plastic pollution. A charge on single-use plastic packaging works because people suddenly see that packaging, in this instance, plastic packaging, does actually have an intrinsic value that needs to be paid for. And then they realise they can avoid paying it, by using reusables, for example with plastic bags, water bottles or coffee cups." 'A charge on plastic isn't abstract policy, it's something people experience at the checkout, prompting an immediate decision. The success of the plastic bag charge is proof — people understand that they can either pay a little more for disposable or avoid the fee by choosing reusable alternatives. Rather than feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of plastic pollution, a simple charge gives people a concrete way to be part of the solution every time they shop." The supermarket bag charge saw the number of bags sold by retailers drop by over 98% compared to 2014 levels, from 7.6 billion to just 79 million. But during the same period, 1.5 billion bags for life (stronger plastic bags meant to be reused) were sold in the UK. Fée says that this highlights that there should have been higher charges on bags for life. She said: "Yes, the number of bags sold by major retailers dropped. However, bag for life sales increased. "That needed to be considered at the same time — just replacing one type of plastic bag with another didn't address the underlying issue of a disposable culture. There should have been higher charges on bags for life, and that should have been across the board." The research with 2004 people by City to Sea found that 72% of consumers say they want more reusable, refillable and returnable options. Consumers also want some plastic items to be banned outright. Almost half (42% of people) said they want to see a total ban on plastic-wrapped fruit and vegetables, single-use plastic bags and plastic water bottles. From June 2025, disposable vapes will be banned. A Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers will see consumers paid to return bottles in 2027. The government is also consulting on further bans on single-use plastics, including plates, cutlery and polystyrene cups. The government's Simpler Recycling scheme (in force for businesses from 2025 and households from 2026) aims to ensure there is no 'postcode lottery' around plastic recycling. Under the scheme, different areas will all have the same rules around what is recycled. Under Simpler Recycling, all councils must collect the same waste streams, one of which is dry recycling including plastic. By March 2027, plastic films will be able to be recycled in all areas. Experts hope this will mean councils will be able to start recycling plastics that are not currently recycled, such as polystyrene. Having one rule nationwide means it's easier to collect, process and recycle many different plastics.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The 'significant' recycling change that's coming for all of our plastic
Most British people dutifully separate their waste and fill their bins correctly each week, but some might be surprised that not all their plastic is recycled. Plastic films, for example, used to wrap many foodstuffs, are not recycled in most areas. But this is changing, with some councils already expanding the range of plastics they can recycle. Defra says the recycling rate across the UK was 52.5% in 2023. Industry group the British Plastics Federation believes that the UK can move towards a 70% recycling rate by 2035. Some of us imagine that anything plastic can be safely put in the recycling bin, but that's not the case, Professor Karl Williams, director for waste management at the University of Central Lancashire, explains. Speaking to Yahoo News, Prof Williams said: "There are three main types of plastic that we use every day, which can be easily recycled at home. "These include PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, which is most commonly found in plastic drinks bottles; HDPE, or high-density polyethylene, which is typically used for milk containers; and LDPE, or low-density polyethylene, which is used for flexible packaging such as food bags.' Plastics such as polystyrene and low-density polyethylene – which are used in bags and films – cannot be collected from home recycling collections. Such waste often ends up being burned in waste-to-energy incinerators. In some areas, these plastics can be collected at supermarkets or via other special collections. However, recycling systems are not uniform across the UK, meaning that it can be hard for households to understand which plastics can and cannot be recycled. "One of the major challenges we face is that recycling systems vary between regions," says Prof Williams. "What can be recycled in one area may not be accepted in another, depending on the local collection and processing facilities. "This is why packaging often carries the message 'recyclable where facilities exist', reflecting the inconsistent availability of recycling options across the country.' The government's Simpler Recycling scheme – in force for businesses from 2025 and households from 2026 – aims to ensure there is no 'postcode lottery' around plastic recycling so that all areas have the same rules around what is recycled. Under Simpler Recycling, all councils must collect the same waste streams, one of which is dry recycling, including plastic. By March 2027, plastic films will be able to be recycled in all areas. Prof Williams says that this will mean councils will be able to 'upgrade' their recycling to include plastics such as polystyrene, which are currently not recycled. He said: "A significant change being introduced is the move towards a more consistent recycling system, so that households across the UK can recycle the same materials regardless of where they live. This national consistency supports the development of recycling infrastructure and helps create stable markets for recyclable materials. "By ensuring a uniform collection system, it becomes more feasible to collect and process harder-to-recycle plastics, such as polystyrene. It is essential that we do not continue to produce plastic products unless there is a clear, accessible route for their recycling that is available to everyone." Plastic put in recycling bins across the UK is relatively likely to travel abroad to be recycled. Turkey remained the top destination for UK exports of plastic last year, according to Basel Action Network, a European NGO which records plastic waste exports. British exports of plastic waste increased to 598 million kilos a year in 2024, with exports to Turkey increasing to 151 million kg per year from 141 million last year. The next most popular destinations for UK plastic waste were the Netherlands, Poland and Vietnam.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Council asks for views on bin collection changes
People in Leicester are being asked to give their views as the city council looks to change its bin collection and recycling regime. Leicester City Council said it is bringing in a new system in response to the government's Simpler Recycling plan, which will see all councils in England asked to introduce a separate weekly collection for food waste from next year. The authority said all homes in the city "will be provided with an indoor kitchen caddy to collect food waste and a separate outdoor bin for just food waste". A waste and recycling contract with Biffa is also due to come to an end in May 2028, with the council needing to put in place a new agreement. The survey launched on the city council's website on Monday, with the closing date for responses being 19 May. Elly Cutkelvin, deputy city mayor and lead on housing, economy and neighbourhoods, said: "With changes to national legislation, we need to consider how we keep bin collections and recycling services simple to use, reliable and cost effective while ensuring that we all do our bit to recycle more and protect the environment. "Nothing is going to change for a while, and we are very much in listening mode." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Leicester City Council 'City brook used like open access landfill' New food waste system planned for town homes Residents moved to fortnightly bin collections
BBC News
08-04-2025
- General
- BBC News
Leicester City Council asks for views on bin collection changes
People in Leicester are being asked to give their views as the city council looks to change its bin collection and recycling City Council said it is bringing in a new system in response to the government's Simpler Recycling plan, which will see all councils in England asked to introduce a separate weekly collection for food waste from next authority said all homes in the city "will be provided with an indoor kitchen caddy to collect food waste and a separate outdoor bin for just food waste".A waste and recycling contract with Biffa is also due to come to an end in May 2028, with the council needing to put in place a new agreement. The survey launched on the city council's website on Monday, with the closing date for responses being 19 Cutkelvin, deputy city mayor and lead on housing, economy and neighbourhoods, said: "With changes to national legislation, we need to consider how we keep bin collections and recycling services simple to use, reliable and cost effective while ensuring that we all do our bit to recycle more and protect the environment."Nothing is going to change for a while, and we are very much in listening mode."
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Where does your recycling actually go in the UK?
As more households see their refuse collection slashed in order to promote food and plastic recycling, consumers are asking how much of what they put in their green bins is actually recycled. The government is hoping that its new Simpler Recycling scheme, which will apply to consumers from next year, will drive understanding of what can (and cannot) be recycled in the UK But there is still some way to go, says Rachel Watkyn, CEO of recycling experts Tiny Box. Watkyn says that a large amount of recycling still ends up abroad. She told Yahoo News: 'The rate of consumption in the UK far outstrips the technology and recycling facilities available, leaving councils and organisations with no choice but to find other solutions.' Around half the paper recycled in Britain is "reprocessed" abroad, according to the Confederation of Paper Industries. Different councils ship paper to different places, with destinations including France, Germany, Malaysia, India and Thailand. This is due to the falling number of UK paper mills, the CPI said, although Britain's existing mills make good use of recycled paper. Around 80% of paper made in the UK now utilises "recovered paper". The industry has also improved which materials can be recycled, with greasy or stained pizza boxes previously being rejected, but now being reused. Just 12% of plastic in the UK is actually recycled, according to the Big Plastic Count, with Britons throwing away 100 billion items of plastic waste each year. Even plastic that goes into 'green bins' in Britain is relatively likely to travel abroad to be recycled. Turkey remained the top destination for UK exports of plastic last year, according to Basel Action Network, a European NGO that records plastic waste exports. British exports of plastic waste increased to 598 million kilos a year in 2024, with exports to Turkey increasing to 151 million kg/yr from 141 million last year. The next most popular destinations for UK plastic waste were the Netherlands, Poland (where exports doubled in 2024) and Vietnam. Britain's aluminium recycling rate hit 68% in 2023, with more than four in five aluminium drinks cans being recycled. Most of this is recycled in the UK, with just 13% travelling outside the UK and EU to be recycled, according to the National Packaging Waste Database. Some councils offer large bins where clothes and shoes can be recycled, but a relatively small amount are recycled or sold within the UK. The materials in the bins is hand-sorted into Grade A (wearable, no marks), which is often sent to charity shops, or Grade B (wearable, marks). Clothes with marks are often sent abroad, Rachel Watkyn, said CEO of recycling experts Tiny Box. Key destinations include Ghana, Pakistan and the UAE. But the rise of 'fast fashion' poses another problem, with cheaper clothing often unable to be reused after it has been discarded, Watkyn explained. Watkyn said: "The clothing sector is the second most polluting in the world and due to an ever increasing need for faster, cheaper fashion, less and less clothing can actually be recycled and the quality of the fabric makes it worthless." Some councils and recycling locations accept electrical goods, including items such as PCs and phones. These goods are typically broken down into small pieces, some of which are recycled. However, globally, e-waste recycling is in a very poor position, according to the UN. A record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010, and this is projected to rise another 32% by 2030. Used electrical and white goods are often shipped to countries including the US, Ukraine and China, Watkyn explained, although not all of the material can be recycled.
