MATERIALS & COMMODITIES
China’s waste ban will aid UK innovation and could actually work in our favour
AS of 2018, China - the world’s largest waste market - will no longer accept the UK’s 55% of post-consumer paper waste (55%) and plastics (25%).
Simon Ellin, chief executive of the UK Recycling Association, has spoken about how lower grade plastics are piling up at his member’s waste yards.
Simon agreed China’s ban could provide the UK with the opportunity – in the medium term – to develop more in- country paper and plastic recycling.
He said: “We had a meeting with Defra and they made representation via the MAAC committee in Brussels and the British embassy in China.
“It does beg the question though that China are exporting goods to the UK with huge mixed plastic contents, and are now refusing to have it back – I think the government need to have a good look at this.”
Simon also spoke of his disappointment that action was not taken sooner by Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Aff airs Michael Gove.
“Mr. Gove hadn’t given it suffi cient thought; the biggest potential problem
the industry has ever faced, and the Secretary of State didn’t appear bothered? Shocking. Especially when we and the CPI had jointly written to him in July about this matter.”
Mr. Gove responded by stating China’s decision will cause some short-term issues for recycling in the UK, but the government is assessing how to handle waste long term.
Mr. Gove said: “Tackling waste has been a top priority for the government. Our 5p charge on plastic bags has taken nine billion bags out of circulation, reducing usage by 83%.
“2018 will bring the UK’s world-leading ban on the manufacture of personal care products containing plastic microbeads come into force.”
With global trade in plastic and paper increasing from just under 50 million tonnes in 1996 to 150 million tonnes in 2016, experts hope a China ban will encourage innovation throughout the UK.
The government have shown a commitment to UK recycling innovation through the new 25-year Green Plan,
•SIMON Ellin, chief executive of the UK Recycling Association
which will provide funding to research and development into new materials and recycling innovations.
The Recycling Association are now lobbying both government and the EU to push for a degree of flexibility with the Chinese government.
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