UK Plastics Pact cuts plastic packaging by 10% and doubles recycled content

UK Plastics Pact cuts plastic packaging by 10% and doubles recycled content - WRAP

UK Plastics Pact members have reduced problematic single-use plastic items by 46% and reduced the amount of packaging on supermarket shelves by 10% in the period 2018-2020.
Recycled content has doubled in two years through Pact action, saving 140,000 tonnes of CO2e.
Although in 2021 we’ve seen substantial roll-out of front-of-store collections and investments in recycling plants, much more action is needed to deliver a step change in the proportion of plastic packaging that is recyclable – still sitting at 65%, raising to 70% when including reusable plastic packaging.
70% reduction in components that make packaging hard to recycle such as PVC sleeves.

The UK Plastics Pact’s third annual report, published today by global NGO WRAP, shows good collective progress against the UK Plastics Pact’s four ambitious environmental targets - year on year, while further action is required to scale the recycling of plastic bags and wrapping.

A key achievement since its launch in 2018 has been a consistent and significant reduction in consumer plastic packaging by brands and retailers. Comparing data for members that have reported each year, there has been a 10% drop in plastic packaging on supermarket shelves, with problematic and unnecessary plastic items falling by 46% since 2018. This 10% reduction equates to a CO2e reduction of 335,000t - equivalent to taking 150,000 cars off the road since the Pact began.

Marcus Gover, WRAP CEO, “The UK Plastics Pact arose at a time of great public concern about plastic pollution and has been a constant and practical programme for collective change to reset our relationship with plastics. Comparing 2020 against 2018, it has shown strong progress against its environmental targets during a period of unmitigated societal upheaval. I believe this work should inspire us when we think about the enormous efforts needed to tackle climate change, and how innovation and experimentation can drive forward action through strong public-private partnerships. The results of real-life reuse and refill trials carried out under the Pact are extremely exciting for how we could shop packaging-free in the future. We see a 50% growth in plastics reprocessing in the UK, which is a massive improvement and Recycle Week marked a record high in terms of the numbers of people recycling – helping complete the cycle of plastics to keep them in the economy and out of the environment. But as COP26 made clear, we have a long way to go and little time to make big changes.”