The United Kingdom set a record for plastic recycling in 2023. The country mechanically recycled 52.5% of its plastic waste, a 2.14% increase from the previous, record-breaking, year.
Data from the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Depra) released today shows that the UK generated a total of 2,259,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste in 2023 and recycled 1,186,000 tonnes. The amount of waste generated increased by 0.62% in comparison with the previous year.
The UK’s plastic packaging recycling rate stood at 51.4% in 2022, 44.2% in 2021, and 47.2% in 2020. In 2012, when data collection began, the recycling rate stood at 25.2%.
The figures cover waste from packaging producers that handle 50 tonnes or more and have a turnover of more than GBP 2 million a year.
Official figures also show that the overall packaging recycling rate – which includes metal, paper and cardboard, glass, wood, and other materials – increased from 62.4% in 2022 to 64.8% in 2023.
However, the UK’s recycling rate for household waste decreased from 44.6% in 2021 to 44.1% in 2022, the latest year for which data is available. England was the only country in the UK which failed to improve its recycling rate.
“It is deeply disappointing to see recycling rates have fallen, and to see the build-up of litter and fly-tipping in our cities, towns and villages,” said Mary Creagh, the minister for the circular economy. “The new government will move towards a zero-waste economy to increase recycling rates, draw in billions from private sector investment and create thousands of green jobs,” she added.