The Birmingham Plastics Network has published a report of key policies the UK government should adopt to facilitate a sustainable future for plastics.
The interdisciplinary network at the University of Birmingham set up a Policy Commission to work on the report, bringing together voices from academia and industry. The commissioners included representatives of Plastics Europe and the British Plastics Federation.
Speaking at the launch at the UK’s House of Lords on March 18, the chair of the Commission, Baroness Meacher argued that “government is absolutely key to ensuring that we can retain the value of plastics and extend their life through changes to the making and management of these products.”
The report argues for a revalorisation of plastic waste to support green growth and incentivise the emergence of next generation plastics production and recycling technologies, in particular chemical recycling.
The report’s key recommendations include:
Harness the tax system to promote sustainable decisions
The Commission praised the UK 2022 Plastic Packaging Tax and suggested the government introduce a sliding scale to reward companies that surpass the 30% threshold, with appropriate measures to mitigate the risk of fraud.
Broaden the scope of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) beyond packaging and create a ‘demand pull’ for sustainable alternatives across sectors
The Commission welcomed the UK’s upcoming EPR scheme, but noted its targets are lower than EU packaging targets, and that it should encompass other sectors, such as textiles and construction.
“Our report shows where progress is being made: the UK’s plastic packaging tax, introduced in 2022, for example, targets plastic packaging with less than 30 per cent recycled plastic, and the Government is due to implement an Extended Producer Responsibility scheme later this year,” said Andrew Dove, Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry at the University of Birmingham. “We need to build on this momentum and take advantage of the best examples set by other countries, as well as the research and innovation available across academia and industry.”
Other recommendations
- Setting targets and incentives to reduce waste incineration and landfilling.
- Ensuring closer regulation of compostable and biodegradable plastics, including stronger oversight of marketing claims.
- Encouraging best practices in public sector procurement, including protocols on plastics life cycle assessments.
- Incentives for waste management bodies to recirculate plastics, fostering the growth of new production and recycling technologies.
- Investment in robust evidence on the human and environmental harms caused by plastics.
- Establishment of a national sustainable plastics innovation research centre to drive innovation and encourage long-term, ambitious thinking.
“We must now take steps to implement solutions which enhance our economy, protect our people and environment, and place the UK as leaders in plastics management,” Baroness Meacher concluded.