The UK has plans to change how drinks containers are collected from consumers for recycling, but recent news stories indicate that glass could be excluded from this scheme. Laura, Antonia and Jasmin discuss what responsibilities packaging producers have, how glass and plastic are currently recycled, and consider what changes need to be made.
There were a lot of references in this fact-filled episode:
Government target for recycling rates at gov.ukAmounts of litter, from Keep Britain Tidy (2020)Household recycling rates, from gov.ukAmount that a deposit return scheme can reduce littering by, from Actions to Protect Rural ScotlandA report stating cost savings of a deposit return scheme, from DEFRAStatistics on local authority costs, from gov.ukEvidence from European Union countries on the deposit return schemeNews article about charges that could be applied to glass bottle producers, in The ChronicleAn overview of the Extended Producer Responsibility, from EcoveritasPotential fees to be paid by companies under the extended producer responsibility scheme, suggested by UK governmentThe main steps in plastic recycling using mechanical methods, from the British Plastics FederationThe journal article Laura mentions where sorting facilities were analysed, in the journal Waste ManagementAn overview of some chemical recycling method, from the British Plastics FederationSome more information on chemical recycling, from CAS – a division of the American Chemical SocietyLegislation on minimum recycled plastic content, from gov.ukThe journal article Jasmin refers to when considering glass recycling rates, in the journal Sustainable FuturesArticles explaining glass quality limitations from BBC Future and British GlassThe energy saving by using recycled glass to make new glass bottles, from the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory