The UK's plastic recycling industry is facing a massive capacity shortage, according to a new study. The report, „Reimagining Recycling,“ compiled by Ceres Waste, Renewables & Environment with support from Viridor, concludes that the existing recycling infrastructure is not equipped to handle the future increasing volumes of separately collected plastics. UK recycling capacity has already declined by 22 per cent between 2023 and 2025.
The authors also expect a significant increase in the quantities of plastics collected for recycling. Drivers include political measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), deposit return schemes (DRS), „Simpler Recycling,“ and the inclusion of waste incineration plants in emissions trading. By 2060, between 4.2 and 4.9 million tonnes of plastic could be available for recovery annually.
Up to 169 new plants required
To fully recycle these quantities in the United Kingdom, significant investment would be required according to the model calculations. By 2030, an additional 18 Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), 38 mechanical recycling plants, and 13 to 25 chemical recycling plants would need to be built. By 2060, the demand will rise to a total of 169 new facilities.
The authors warn that without a rapid expansion of infrastructure, dependence on plastic exports will continue to increase. A significant part of the collected plastic waste is already being sent abroad.
Billions in potential for the economy and climate
The report also sees significant economic opportunities. The expansion of the recycling infrastructure could trigger private investments of up to £5.9 billion. The study estimates the potential additional contribution to economic output at £25 billion to £28 billion and forecasts between 6,900 and 7,700 new „green jobs“ by 2060.
From a climate perspective, an expansion of plastic recycling is also crucial. The study points out that the incineration of plastics causes significant fossil CO₂ emissions. Higher recycling rates could avoid up to 143 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents.
Demands on politicians
To stabilise the market, the authors recommend, among other things, mandatory recycled content quotas for further plastic applications, stricter measures against fraud in recycled plastics, greater traceability along the value chain, and support for the commercialisation of chemical recycling processes.
Source: Ceres Waste, Renewables & Environment
