From the end of March 2027, local authorities in England must comprehensively collect plastic films and bags from households for recycling. However, a study by Valpak warns that existing sorting and recycling capacities may not be sufficient for the additional volumes generated.
According to calculations by Valpak, around 770,000 tonnes of plastic film are placed on the market in England each year. Of this, roughly 392,000 tonnes end up in household waste. Currently, local authorities collect only around 15,000 tonnes of film per year for recycling. With the introduction of the „Simpler Recycling“ requirements, this figure could initially rise to around 96,000 tonnes.
Recycling capacities are not yet sufficient
According to the report, a maximum of around 145,000 tonnes of sorting capacity and approximately 139,000 tonnes of processing capacity for plastic films are currently available in the United Kingdom. However, these facilities are not exclusively designated for household films. Many processors prefer films from commerce and industry, as these are generated in larger, cleaner, and more homogenous fractions.
In addition, up to 290,000 tonnes of new processing capacity are planned. However, a large part of this will not yet be available in 2027, and in some cases commissioning is only scheduled for up to 2030. Furthermore, facilities may still be more likely to process commercial film or rigid plastics. Valpak therefore considers it likely that sufficient capacity will not be available when mandatory collections begin.
Only around half is considered recyclable
According to the authors' assessment, around 51 percent of plastic films in household waste are currently commercially recyclable. A further 25 percent could be recovered depending on their structure and material combination, while roughly 24 percent are considered non-recyclable. Formats that are easier to recycle include, in particular, mono-materials made of PE and PP. Multi-layer films containing PET, aluminium foil or paper, as well as various composite packaging, are considered problematic by contrast.
For the collection, the study considers separate plastic bags to be particularly suitable, especially for multi-stream systems. In the case of mixed collections, modern sorting plants can also partially separate film bags from the material stream loosely. However, the deciding factors are the technical equipment of the sorting plants and secured market outlets for the collected material.
Costs of up to £301 million
Valpak's model estimates the total annual costs for the collection, sorting and disposal of plastic film in England at 82 to 301 million pounds. The median value is around 170 million pounds. The study expects additional cost pressure from the expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to energy from waste incineration from January 2028.
If the additionally collected film plastics have to be incinerated instead due to a lack of recycling capacity, the total costs could rise to as much as 318 million pounds, according to the report. Valpak therefore recommends, among other things, the rapid expansion of sorting and recycling infrastructure as well as long-term policy frameworks that create stable markets for recyclates from household film.
Source: Valpak
