PLASTICS FEATURE
are also heavily targeted, both by the existing domestic UK processors and by the export companies (who can ship it off without having to segregate it). So the contaminated streams are more readily available.”
Coronavirus
Naturally the plastics recycling sector has felt the shockwaves of the coronavirus in recent weeks, meaning it has to stay highly responsive to the economic situation which can change hugely day by day.
“Some of the markets that recyclate goes into have closed down, such as construction and horticulture, which means there are fewer outlets for material,” explained Helen. “However, other areas such as packaging have seen an increased demand.
“There is a reduction in input material from the commercial and industrial sectors as these businesses have temporarily closed down.”
The plastic recycling industry could have taken another serious blow when oil prices started to tumble in April, which reduced the price of virgin plastic and made recyclate less competitive. However, fortunately this was not an entirely financial consideration for many.
“There have been lots of public commitments to using recycled plastic as well as voluntary initiatives, which means there is still pressure for companies to use recycled plastic,” said Helen.
“As a company we at Indigo have fortunately been able to respond quickly to the situation and haven’t felt much in the way of disruption,” added Paul. “Like many of our fellow UK recycling colleagues, we very quickly introduced clear and defined processes to protect the team workers. For example, we added a 30-minute barrier between worker shifts, we restricted the numbers of people in the canteen at any one time, and so on. So, we have been able to stay operational with a minimum of fuss.
“We have seen a fall in certain waste streams, for example from the automotive companies, due to people being furloughed. But we work on an array of different lines, so we were able to simply switch to other products.
“While there has been a slowdown of input materials from some streams, the key worker industries are still generating enough to compensate for the shortfall.”
“The majority of plastic recyclers have remained open during this period and the ones that have closed are looking to reopen in line with the sectors they sell into or get feedstock from,” added Helen. “As with all industries in the UK, the long-term impact of coronavirus will be clearer when the strategy for releasing lockdown is known and will also depend on the length of time existing restrictions remain.”
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