Plastic Packaging Waste Recycling Efforts Stifled by Regulatory and Technological 'Lock-In'

A new study from Brunel University London,  the University of Leeds, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), the waste management sector, other stakeholders, and funded via the Plastic and Research Innovation Fund and the Economic and Social Research Council, found that the current system of collecting and managing plastic packaging waste disadvantages local authorities and discourages efforts to invest in green infrastructure to exploit technological change. This lack of infrastructure leads to an over-dependence on exporting waste to markets with questionable recycling policies and also impairs consumer decision-making about how to dispose of plastic packaging waste.

The report – Plastic packaging - How do we get to where we want to be? – found that the cost of collecting and managing waste under the current system meant that some local authorities were forced to tie themselves to contracts as long as 25 years to make it economically viable.