The Plastics Industry Recycling Action Plan (PIRAP), along with its targeted approach for higher plastics recycling rates, was launched June 16 by Plastics 2020 and the charitable group WRAP at this year's PDM exhibition.
Plastics 2020 — which is made up of the British Plastics Federation (BPF); Brussels-based trade body PlasticsEurope and the Packaging and Film Association (PAFA) — said the plan provided “a co-operative strategy for the plastic packaging supply chain to take action and contribute towards achieving the [United Kingdom] government's target for obligated users.”
The target is 57 percent plastic packaging recycling by 2017, by developing what Plastics 2020 described as a “resilient and sustainable plastics recycling sector in the UK.”
Speaking at the launch, Philip Law, the BPF's director-general said: “Recycling is the absolutely essential component of the ‘sustainability story'. It's a great achievement to secure an agreed document in an area which has become a political football.
“Plastics packaging recycling levels are a function of so many factors and the support of a very large number of organizations has to be harnessed to make significant progress.”
Kim Christiansen, regional director North, PlasticsEurope, added: “The proposed U.K. 2017 plastics recycling targets represent a great challenge to industry in taking it from a mid-performing to one of the top performing member states in Europe.
“To help rise to this challenge PlasticsEurope and its partners welcome the support of WRAP and the U.K. government in helping us work with the value chain in order to drive the UK towards this goal.”
Barry Turner, PAFA's chief executive, added: “Despite the ink on the final document being barely dry I am pleased to see that so many stakeholders have come forward this looks promising for the next steps which need to focus on actions to support the achievement of these challenging targets.”
PIRAP was initiated by WRAP and Plastics 2020 adopted the task of engaging with the different stakeholders to agree on different actions for commitment.
Claire Shrewsbury, WRAP's packaging program manager, said: “It's fantastic to see the PIRAP launch with a wide range of supporters already signed up. To realize the full benefits of plastics recycling, and achieve the targets, the whole supply chain must work together to achieve a common outcome.
“The plan will drive this kind of collaboration and strengthen links across the entire plastics supply chain, ensuring more valuable plastic is recycled into second life applications.”
PIRAP supporters include British Polythene Industries, Chase Plastics, Faerch Plast, Recoup and RPC Group.