Recoup and Recycling & Waste World event gives out a positive message about recycling mixed plastics packaging << Back to Main News Page Added: Thursday, 6 November 2008 Potential solutions for recycling mixed plastics packaging are out there and becoming increasingly achievable - provided that the industry and local government work together to ensure a consistent approach is taken. This was the message from Recoup and Recycling & Waste World’s recent joint conference ‘Developing Mixed Plastics Packaging Recycling – addressing the risks and opportunities of recycling plastic pots, tubs, trays and films’. The event also emphasised the message that while developing systems for recycling mixed plastics packaging is now seen as the recycling industry’s next big challenge, we must not forget the importance of working to further improve the recycling levels of post-consumer plastic bottles. Consumers are increasingly expecting their local authority to collect all household waste plastics – and over 100 councils are already collecting some form of mixed plastics packaging. Despite current market issues, investments in mixed plastics collection and sorting infrastructure are already being made, ensuring that the recycling of mixed plastics packaging remains a hot topic in 2009. Speakers at the event included Sion Stanfield, Head of Waste & Recycling at Tesco; Penelope Lane, Recycling Manager at Exeter City Council – a local authority which already successfully collects mixed plastics packaging; Edward Thomas, MD of Recycling, Disposal and Energy Recovery, Veolia Environmental Services; and Rosie Barber, Commercial Manager of Jayplas – who earlier this year launched the first plant of its kind in the UK to be able to sort mixed plastics on a large commercial scale. Mariagiovanna Vetere, the head of EPRO’s mixed plastics working group, provided delegates with a European perspective. One of the key pieces of work announced at the conference was the likely specification for mixed plastics which – following close consultation with UK plastic reprocessors – will be published by Recoup shortly. This will focus on initially collecting only rigid mixed plastics packaging – typically pots, tubs and trays used in the house, but excluding black trays. Also excluded would be film, and – as with current bottle collections - products used for DIY and gardening and those typically found in the garage. The event – held at Birmingham Botanical Gardens - attracted some 90+ attendees from across the plastics supply and recovery chain, including producers, local authorities, waste management companies, reprocessors and brand owners. Feedback from delegates was excellent, including “A good mix of speakers giving a broad perspective of the issues” and “Excellent topic, really good standard of speakers and good audience participation.” John Simmons, CEO of Recoup, was delighted with the success of the event. He commented: “We would like to thank all the speakers for their high quality presentations and for encouraging an excellent level of debate around the risks and opportunities involved with recycling mixed plastics packaging. Thanks should also go to our delegates for participating fully in the event and for raising many questions and interesting points of view. Hopefully all in attendance were able to gain a lot of relevant information from the event, and that this will help make good progress towards a sustainable mixed plastics packaging recycling solution here in the UK.”