The Recycling Association calls for separation of paper and cardboard
As part of its new Quality First Roadmap, The Recycling Association calls for separate collection of paper and cardboard from other recyclable materials to be introduced by local authorities by 2025.
The association also wants recovered fibre to meet end-of-waste status by 2025 with other materials to follow by 2030 at the latest. The aim of the roadmap is to complement and inform the development of the Resources & Waste Strategy via the Environment Bill. It sets out a timeline of key targets that work with the legislative timetable that has been proposed by the UK Government.
WRAP has welcomed the "vision" of the Roadmap and said that with major policy reforms in the pipeline, it "has never been more opportune to redesign recycling schemes that are fit for a circular future".
The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has also given its support to the call for separate collection of paper and cardboard.
"We are now calling on all UK local authorities to introduce the separate collection of paper and cardboard from other materials by 2025 with implementation to begin by 2023,” says Simon Ellin, Chief Executive of The Recycling Association. “This will benefit paper and cardboard recyclers who will receive a higher-quality raw material that would attract higher prices due to lower recycling costs.
"But it will also allow for packaging such as plastic films and cartons to be collected as core materials as planned by Government, separate to paper and cardboard. Collecting plastic films and cartons with paper and cardboard leads to more contamination as it is harder to sort. Separating fibre from other materials also benefits them as wet paper and cardboard contaminates plastics, metals and glass.
"We are also calling for End-of-Waste status for paper and cardboard by 2025 with other materials to follow by 2030 at the latest. By achieving this, the UK will become a bastion of high-quality material benefitting domestic and global recyclers as part of the circular economy."
