What does the path to improved recycling look like?

The UK government has set an ambitious target to achieve a 65% municipal recycling rate by 2035. That may well be more than a decade away, but currently recycling rates have been hovering around 44%, with little upward progress in recent years.

Some of the challenges hindering progress include a lack of uniformity in materials used for packaging resulting in multiple types of waste materials that complicate collections, sorting and processing. Contamination and mixed waste also hinder recycling efficiency.

As much as waste processing companies are working hard to overcome these challenges by adapting processes and adopting more advanced technologies, a major part of the problem remains with the manufacturers and users generating the waste. With so many different types of waste, made even more complex by the many varying materials used in different forms of packaging, there’s never a simple solution.

There’s a strong push towards greater producer responsibility, better sorting and segregation and more investment in processing infrastructure. Realistically, improving recycling rates is going to take all of that and more. We take a look at some of the progress being made in recycling and how different factors may help or hinder progress.

 Introduction of Deposit Return Schemes

The potential introduction of the DRS throughout the UK has sparked a fair amount of debate. Consultation is expected later in the year. While the general view is that it will increase collections and simplify recycling of specifically glass and plastic bottles, as well as aluminium cans, there’s still some opposition to implementation. Local councils that would typically collect kerbside and then generate revenue from selling these items into recycling streams are bemoaning the fact that they will lose income.

It’s true that the revenues will be diverted into the DRS, and while this is a negative for local councils, there are also positives. Local councils will save from the volumes of waste needing collection and sorting and these cost savings can be diverted into processing other waste streams.

DRS will help with segregation of waste collections as it’s intended to remove bottles from kerbside collections and concentrate them instead through dedicated DRS vending machines.  What remains to be seen is if public participation will align with the expectations and goals of the DRS, or whether it’ll create an additional sorting headache for waste processors due to lack of public participation.

Recycling facilities are no longer just rubbish in and rubbish out

Recycling facilities have advanced significantly in the past few decades as recycling has become more of a priority. Instead of simply offloading municipal collections and then dispatching to various landfills, recycling facilities play a critical role in segregating, testing and certifying different materials. We see this particularly in the demand for skills of site operatives, site managers, hazardous waste specialists, site mechanics, HSE officers and engineers, to name a few.

The machinery and technologies at recycling facilities are also advancing at a staggering rate. As an example: a few years back black plastic punnets and food containers were difficult to sort which made it more challenging to recycle. But now new technologies have been developed to overcome this. State of the art facilities are now equipped with AI technology that makes sorting much more efficient and enables them to process significantly higher volumes more efficiently. We’re currently engaged with Sherbourne Recycling Ltd to support recruitment across the whole of their site. We’re using innovative recruitment tools to ensure they recruit the right people from across the community.

This is necessary as currently the UK doesn’t have the processing capacity to match the volume of waste materials in circulation in the economy. Any facilities being developed now need to be able to handle even greater volumes and varieties of materials to ensure future longevity of the sites.

Off the back of these modern facilities, the sector needs a new set of skills to support the management and operation of these facilities. We have the tools to identify and assess these skills.

Retail responsibility

There have been several initiatives by retail chains aimed at improving recycling efforts. Some are working towards standardising the materials used in their private label brands, reducing the use of clingfilm, implementing compostable food packaging and offering in-store recycling depots for specific items. This extends beyond grocery, to clothing and even electronics.

Mobile phone retailers are offering trade-ins on old devices to encourage re-use and recycling. Clothing stores such as H&M have made major investments in textile recycling. They are partnering with textile sorting and recycling processors to extend the life and reuse of textiles already in the economy.  

The collective efforts of all sectors are helping drive the transition to a more circular economy. With the pressure on to do more, faster, in order to lessen the impact of economic growth on the planet, cross sector collaboration is needed. Waste management has a vital role to play in providing guidance on best practices to make recycling efforts more effective. With the depth of expertise that continues to grow in the industry and the progress that’s already been made in recent years, it’s going to be exciting to watch the progress in the transition to the circular economy.