BPF Endorses Proposal for Stricter Controls on Plastic Waste Exports

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The British Plastics Federation (BPF) has extended support to Norway proposal for enforcing tighter controls on exports of plastic waste by countries. The position paper published by the Association extended full support to the aims set forth by the Norway proposal. Incidentally, The Norway Proposal to the United Nation’s Basel Convention outlines guidelines on monitoring and improving the quality of plastic waste that are exported to developing countries.

The BPF position paper proposes a set of quality criteria that in turn will help to ensure that the plastic waste exports are recycled in an environment-friendly manner once they reach their final destinations, mostly developing nations.

The Association extended support to policies and legislation that are aimed at transition of the country’s plastic recycling industry to a UK-based, resource efficient circular economy. The over dependence of the nation on export of plastic packaging has led to criticisms that the country is one among the major contributors of worldwide marine plastic pollution. The imposition of tighter controls on exports of mixed, low-grade plastics will ensure quality improvement of sorted plastics produced by recycling facilities across the UK.

Since Chinese restrictions on quality of waste material imports, there has been a rapid shift in destination countries to which UK plastic waste are shipped. As per government data, Turkey, Malaysia, Poland, Indonesia and Vietnam have emerged as the largest end-destinations for plastic waste exported out of the UK.