Plastics recycling opportunity missed

Defra packaging recycling targets details HERE

The new packaging recycling targets for 2011 and 2012 published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today (Tuesday 26 October 2010) are a real missed opportunity for the coalition government. They could so easily have put in place a real difference in approach from the lackidasical approach of the last Government. Recycling creates new jobs and means less waste of the Earth’s resources.

The Government has missed the chance to drive forward innovation in plastic packaging design – higher targets would have forced companies to recycle more. For instance why do the manufacturers insist on black plastic which is not so easily recyclable because the machines cannot detect the plastic type due to the colour?

Why are we allowing packaging trays that do not need to be present in the wrapped product?

We should be aiming for ZERO WASTE – and Bath and NE Somerset UA was the first authority in the land to adopt this policy following motions and work by Cllr Roger Symonds and myself.

The targets for packaging are too low and will not challenge the producers enough. The plastic ones in particular could have been tougher.  However it is a start and better than what we had under Labour.

2 thoughts on “Plastics recycling opportunity missed

  1. […] Paul Crossley | Plastics recycling opportunity missed paulcrossley.mycouncillor.org.uk/2010/10/29/plastics-recycling-opportunity-missed/ – view page – cached The new packaging recycling targets for 2011 and 2012 published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today (Tuesday 26 October 2010) are a real missed opportunity for the coalition government. They could so easily have put in place a real difference in approach from the lackidasical approach of the last Government. Recycling creates new jobs and means less waste of the… Read moreThe new packaging recycling targets for 2011 and 2012 published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs today (Tuesday 26 October 2010) are a real missed opportunity for the coalition government. They could so easily have put in place a real difference in approach from the lackidasical approach of the last Government. Recycling creates new jobs and means less waste of the Earth’s resources. View page Tweets about this link […]

  2. I couldn’t agree more 25 workers in a region can testify to the local benefits of well organised recycling organisations.

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