6th August 2018
Recycling Technologies’ statement in response to LGA recycling comments
The Local Government Association (LGA) has announced that two-thirds of plastic used by households is not recycled.
In response to recent media coverage on the BBC and in particular the Local Government Association’s (LGA) comments regarding plastics recycling, Adrian Griffiths, CEO for Recycling Technologies, which specialises in chemically recycling plastics, states “Recycling Technologies has developed a chemical recycling machine that converts plastic waste, which currently cannot be recycled, back into an oil from which more virgin plastics can be produced . Using chemical recycling our machine enables waste operators and local authorities to recycle plastics that are currently sent to landfill and incineration such as films, coloured plastics, laminated plastics (i.e. crisp packets), black bin bags and multi-polymer pots, tubs and trays. This form of chemical recycling will help to clear up the problem with these non-recyclable plastics and at the same time create revenue from plastic waste here in the UK.”
“Today 77% of local authorities collect pots, tubs and trays, but the wide range of polymers used in these forms of packaging makes it less-economical to sort and separate all of this packaging for recycling. Consequently, some of these plastics are rejected and sent to landfill and incineration. This is where chemical recycling comes in; it can take this plastic waste and turn it back into a valuable oil for use by chemical companies to make new virgin-quality plastics with recycled content. .
“We agree with the LGA, that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has a role to play in helping local authorities become more comprehensive in the range of plastics they can recycle by raising finance to boost recycling infrastructure and innovation in the UK. Recycling Technologies supports calls for Government to reform EPR so that extra funding can be raised to ensure valuable plastic materials are kept in the economy and out of landfill and incineration.”
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