UK councils face unprecedented plastic collection expansion by 2027
Local authorities across the UK must dramatically expand their plastic collection services by March 2027 to meet new requirements, while simultaneously preparing for significant changes in waste management funding and operations, according to RECOUP's latest UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey.
The research reveals a stark gap between current collection capabilities and upcoming requirements, with only 14 per cent of councils currently collecting plastic films and flexibles. This means 312 local authorities need to implement these collections within just over two years, marking an unprecedented expansion in service provision.
Early insights from the ongoing FlexCollect trials, which now include nine participating councils serving 46,000 households, suggest potential implementation challenges ahead. While the trials show strong public engagement, with 89 per cent resident satisfaction rates, significant infrastructure limitations remain, particularly for materials recovery facilities handling commingled collections.
Collection rates for plastic pots, tubs, and trays increased marginally from 88 to 89 per cent, representing the first improvement after six consecutive years of decline. An additional 39 local authorities must add these materials to meet compliance requirements.
The UK generated approximately 2.2 million tonnes of plastic packaging waste in 2023, achieving a recycling rate of 52.5 per cent. This means nearly half of all plastic packaging waste still goes unrecycled, while households discard an estimated 100 billion pieces of plastic packaging annually – averaging 66 items per household per week.
Communication challenges across local authorities
The survey identified significant variations in recycling instructions across UK local authorities, potentially contributing to citizen confusion and contamination rates. While 85 per cent of councils specify that items should be empty and rinsed, guidance on specific items varies considerably across regions.
"Whereas the different instructions need to reflect local sorting and processing requirements, it's in the benefits of consumers and all stakeholders to have simple, consistent national communications messages about how to present plastics for recycling," commented Steve Morgan, Head of Policy & Infrastructure at RECOUP.
The inconsistency is particularly evident in instructions for plastic bottle lids, where 40 per cent of authorities instruct residents to leave lids on bottles, while 13 per cent request removal. A further 12 per cent list lids as separate items without specific guidance, and 30 per cent provide no guidance at all.
Emissions trading scheme awareness gap
The survey revealed concerning gaps in local authority preparedness for the upcoming expansion of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to include waste incineration and energy from waste from 2028. Approximately one-third of local authorities were unaware of the scheme's expansion and its potential impact on operations.
When asked to rate their preparedness for ETS changes on a scale of 1-10, 37 per cent of authorities scored three or below, while only 12 per cent rated their readiness at seven or higher. No authority reported being fully prepared.
Charges for packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) start next October, requiring producers to bear the costs of managing packaging waste. This policy aims to incentivise recyclable material use and packaging waste reduction, working alongside the Plastic Packaging Tax introduced in April 2022, which has generated £268 million in the 2023-24 financial year.
