Government urged to extend its Resource Security Action Plan

A leading reprocessor has called on the Government to extend its Resource Security Action Plan (RSAP) to include other scarce and valuable materials such as plastics.


Speaking ahead of this week’s Recoup Conference in Peterborough, recycling plant Closed Loop Recycling chief executive Chris Dow said that there is a multi-million pound opportunity in the mass of valuable raw materials wasted in the UK each year – because of how discarded products, such as plastics are dealt with.

As a result, Dow wants to see the plan extended to include post-consumer plastics as a resource, which he argues would maximise their extraction and reuse in the UK, rather than exporting them overseas for lower grade use.

While Dow believes the recent decision to increase recycling targets to 57% goes some way to help generate resource security and industry growth, he argues that more can be done to ensure the industry continues to develop.

As a result, Dow would like to see the (RSAP) combined with the MRF Code of Practice and a review of the PRN/PERN system, which he says would “create the ideal backdrop” to enable delivery of recycling targets in a timely and efficient way, as well as boost economic growth and jobs.

Dow said: “The Resource Security Action Plan is designed to make sure UK businesses are more resilient to any changes in the supply and price of scarce, valuable materials such as metals, and can make the most of new opportunities.

“This is exactly the case in the plastics recycling industry and we want to play our part. We support the objective of seeing British businesses taking advantage of this golden opportunity to boost growth and jobs through how we design products, while re-using, recycling or substituting valuable materials.”

Carys Matthews

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