Britain missing out on potential 2bn recycling industry by exporting plastic waste

"A plastic recycling industry potentially worth 2bn and 5,000 jobs is dying in the UK because of government failure to close a loophole that allows 600,000 tonnes of plastic waste to be exported each year. The Guardian can reveal that in the past two years 21 plastic recycling and processing factories across the UK have shut down due to the scale of exports, the cheap price of virgin plastic and an influx of cheap plastic from Asia, according to data gathered by industry insiders."

"Britain's exports of plastic waste to developing countries increased by 84% in the first half of this year, in what critics say is unethical and irresponsible waste imperialism. In particular, UK exports soared to Indonesia a country struggling with an environmental crisis from plastic pollution amounting to more than 24,000 tonnes. The total plastic waste exports in the first half of the year came to 317,747 tonnes."

"Exporting hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic waste to countries without the capability to process it properly increases the chance of serious environmental pollution as well as putting the lives of waste workers at risk. James Mcleary, the managing director of Biffa polymers, said the industry was facing challenges and units were closing across the country."

Government failure to block a loophole allowing 600,000 tonnes of plastic waste to be exported annually has undermined a UK plastics recycling sector worth £2bn and 5,000 jobs. Twenty-one recycling and processing plants have closed in two years because of large-scale exports, low virgin plastic prices, and cheap imports from Asia. Exports to developing countries rose 84% in the first half of the year, totaling 317,747 tonnes, with over 24,000 tonnes sent to Indonesia. Exporting waste to countries lacking processing capacity increases risks of severe environmental pollution and endangers waste workers. Closures include Biffa's Sunderland plant, three Viridor sites, and Vanden Recycling's Whittlesey site.

Read at www.theguardian.com