Plastic Waste Management

The sector accounts for 35% of UK plastics consumption and plastic is the material of choice in nearly half of all packaged goods.

There are about 50 different groups of plastics, with hundreds of different varieties. All types of plastic are recyclable. To make sorting and thus recycling easier, the American Society of Plastics Industry developed a standard marking code to help consumers identify and sort the main types of plastic.

The considerable growth in plastic use is due to the beneficial properties of plastics. These include:

• Extreme versatility and ability to be tailored to meet very specific technical needs.
• Lighter weight than competing materials, reducing fuel consumption during transportation.
• Extreme durability.
• Resistance to chemicals, water and impact.
• Good safety and hygiene properties for food packaging.
• Excellent thermal and electrical insulation properties.
• Relatively inexpensive to produce.