In the push for flexible plastics circularity, doing nothing is not an option

Adam Herriott , Senior Specialist Material System Transformation at WRAP

With the complexity of the plastic packaging landscape changing so rapidly, complacency is not an option, especially when it comes to the crucial ambition on a circular economy for flexible plastic packaging. The issues surrounding this packaging format exemplifies the critical need for innovative solutions. As detailed in the updated Roadmap to 2025: Creating a Circular Economy for Flexible Plastic Packaging, achieving a circular economy for flexible plastic packaging is imperative, and doing nothing is simply not an option.?

Breaking Away and Acknowledge the Reality?

While it is lightweight and efficient in preserving food, at the end of its lifecycle, flexible plastic packaging poses significant environmental challenges. Over 27% of UK consumer plastic packaging is flexible, yet a meagre 7% is recycled. The majority ends up in incineration, landfills or makes its way into the natural environment, exacerbating societies ever increasing impact on the world.?

The traditional linear model of "make, take, and dispose" is no longer viable, the system is failing. Despite our collaborative efforts and significant progress towards two of our original four ambitious targets, we know we will not meet the other two of the targets we set out for the UK Plastics Pact in 2018.? Timescales have been adjusted in order to continue to strive to meet these critical targets,100% of plastic packaging to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable by 2025, and 70% effectively recycled or composted by the same year. We need all parts of the supply chain to have a paradigm shift if we are to build momentum beyond the end of The Pact and reach the ambitious aim of a circular plastics economy.??

It is long past the time to abandon the old-fashioned ‘make, take, chuck’ methods. The systems for plastic packaging are failing. So it’s imperative that we all take responsibility – and that all players step up efforts to tackle flexible plastic packaging, push past the challenges and ensure that we achieve a circular plastics economy as a top priority.? Harriet Lamb – CEO, WRAP?

A Holistic Approach with Innovative Solutions?

The UK Plastics Pact provides a space for organisations to collaborate, problem solve and overcome significant barriers to progress, driving change in the plastics value chain. However, the complexities and scale of transforming the entire plastic packaging supply chain are immense, and the current shortfall highlights the need for further innovative solutions to tackle the flexible plastic packaging problem.??

In response to this, The UK Plastics Pact has released an updated Films and Flexibles Roadmap which includes several crucial strategies to be implemented:?

1. Design for Recycling: Packaging must be designed with recyclability in mind. This involves transitioning to mono-material polyolefin-based packaging and for those placing material onto the market to follow the evidence based guidelines that are available.?

1. Enhanced Collection Systems: With mandatory collections of films and flexibles from households being implemented by early 2027, currently only ~14% of LAs currently doing so, we need to shift our focus from front of store to the implementation of kerbside collection, building on the work that WRAP and our partners within the FPF FlexCollect trials has been doing.?

1. Public and Industry Engagement: Effective communication with citizens and industry stakeholders is vital. Clear and concise messaging can drive better recycling practices and greater participation in recycling at a household level.?

1. Advanced Sorting and Reprocessing: Investments are needed in sorting and reprocessing technologies to ensure that collected flexible plastic can be efficiently processed and has stable end markets. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has a major role to play in driving change, not just in how businesses design their packaging, but also to improve the economic landscape for investment in infrastructure from waste management and recyclers.?

Flexible Thinking from Pact Members?

At the recent UK Plastics Pact Annual Summit, we zeroed in on the urgent and critical actions required to achieve a circular economy for flexible plastic films. A pivotal session dedicated to highlighting the issues and demanded innovative solutions to address these challenges head-on.?

During this session, members were divided into groups and tasked to collaboratively identify the pressing challenges facing the recycling of flexible plastics and, more importantly, the potential solutions. This collaborative approach aimed to harness the collective expertise and diverse perspectives of the attendees, fostering a more comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand.?

To ensure these discussions lead to actionable outcomes, WRAP will be using the ideas to create an action focussed sprint group. This group will focus on developing and implementing at least one of the potential solutions to the challenges identified during the session.?

What are we waiting for??

Given that we know that we will miss two of the UK Plastics Pact’s targets, it is imperative to redouble our efforts and build momentum for change. This involves galvanizing the entire supply chain—from manufacturers to consumers—to adopt sustainable practices and innovative solutions. The shortfall in meeting the targets to date should serve as a rallying cry, emphasising that we can’t just stand still and wait for legislation or policy to do it for us. Every stakeholder must be engaged, citizens must be empowered and informed on the journey and every possible innovation must be pursued to ensure that the momentum of change continues to grow.?

The message is clear: doing nothing is not an option.?