Page 76 - Hub-4 Magazine Issue 65

Recycling
What will the plastic recycling
landscape look like in a post-
Brexit world?
There is no doubting that 2020 has been a challenging year for the waste and recycling sector. And there is one stream which has been firmly in the spotlight over the last 12 months – plastic.
With regard to this widely used material, what challenges is the industry facing, what is the future
looking like, and what role can local plastic recyclers play in helping to implement a sustainable model that promotes commodity recyclability at source?
Steve Kinley – commercial director of plastic recycling specialist, Indigo Environmental Ltd – shares his thoughts.
Setting the scene during a pandemic
Plastic waste is one of the world’s most widely debated and reported on topics. Over the past year, the spotlight has truly been shone upon this global material, with numerous documentaries revealing the impact plastic pollution is having on our planet. And they have arguably acted as one of the key catalysts in boosting public awareness.
While there have been numerous headlines about businesses joining plastic pacts and switching to more sustainable packaging options, the rollercoaster ride of coronavirus has thrown a proverbial spanner in the works – seeing the nation create high volumes of plastic waste.
In fact, over the course of recent months, the industry, and processes as we knew them have received an almighty shake- up.
Lockdown meant that UK plastic exporters’ trading routes were interrupted – and in some instances, completely ground to a halt – causing a huge ‘mirror moment’ to take place. The country stared at its own reflection and realised things had to change if we were to stop being reliant on overseas reprocessing plants to take our ‘wastes’.
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www.hub-4.com Nov/Dec 20 - Issue 65