UK 'losing £1.7bn' through failures on recycling

Inconsistency between the ways different councils recycle waste is costing the UK £1.7 billion every year.

According to the Green Alliance Circular Economy Task Force, much of the problem is caused by the fact that a plastic bottle discarded at home is treated differently across the UK's 376 waste collection authorities. If the same plastic bottle is discarded at work, it goes through another, separate system.

Only 30% of plastic packaging is recycled - and two thirds of that is exported for reprocessing overseas. For waste electronics, just two per cent is reused, even though 23 per cent is suitable.

Standardisation, says the clarity and independent think tank, could generate £2 billion in private investment in waste and recycling plants such as anaerobic digestors. It would also make the most of the £1.7 billion worth of recyclable or reusable products that are currently sent to landfill each year.

Even the bins themselves cost more than necessary, as there's no central purchasing and no consistency on colour - meaning they cost £5 each more than in Germany, where they are standardised. All in all, says the group, council tax bills could fall by £61 per year if its recommendations were carried out.

"Local authorities spend more on waste management than housing or planning. Valuable raw materials are lost while businesses are frustrated by a lack of usable recycled materials. The system both stymies demand for recycled materials and prevents businesses investing, says the report's author, Dustin Benton.

"The problem is structural. The government could easily turn this around by reforming the system to help businesses get the UK moving toward a circular economy."

Manufacturers say they'd make greater use of recycled materials - if only they could. "Greater consistency of collection and recycling systems would help ensure the reliability of material supply, thereby facilitating the design and specification of more products incorporating recycled materials," says Andrew Jenkins, sustainable development manager for products at Boots UK.

The group is calling on the government to set up a £250 million fund - the same amount it spent on supporting weekly collections last year - to explore new approaches.

It also wants better recycling and reprocessing facilities to be made a priority in the government's national infrastructure plan. And, suggests Circular Economy Task Force chair Julie Hill, " As the election approaches, these opportunities will look far more attractive than business as usual."