Mandatory collection of plastic films and flexible packaging delay reflects a ‘lack of clarity’ on policy and strategy, CIWM’s Dan Cooke says.
In a letter to local authorities, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced it had delayed the mandatory collection of plastic films and flexible packaging from March 2027 to April 2030.
While Cooke, Director of Policy, Communications and External Affairs at CIWM, said the decision was ‘pragmatic’ and ‘reflects market realities’, he was critical of the ‘lack of clarity’ the sector faces over policy.
“The announcement of delay also reflects the lack of clarity on strategic direction and policy framework that our essential sector faces, including ongoing delays on a Circular Economy Growth Plan and associated material roadmaps, including plastics,” Cooke said.
“CIWM will shortly be publishing important research findings on investment barriers and opportunities for repair, reuse and recycling, which will provide additional evidence and practical recommendations to drive increases in UK recycling and resource efficiency.”
Defra’s decision followed engagement with the waste sector and local authorities, where concerns were raised over the current viability of the collection, sorting and reprocessing system to deliver plastic film recycling collections effectively at scale.
A Defra spokesperson told Circular Online: “This government remains fully committed to increasing recycling of plastic film and meeting its long-term recycling ambitions.”
“We will ensure that collections work effectively to deliver for the environment, and that businesses and local authorities will have time to prepare.”
“Alongside this, we will work with local authorities to explore additional drop-off options at household waste recycling centres, so people can continue to recycle their plastic film.”
In the letter announcing the decision, Defra told local authorities it wanted to avoid placing additional burdens on councils, businesses and the resources and waste sector during a period of significant transition.
Defra also confirmed it will convene stakeholders later this year to explore the changes needed by April 2030, which CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) has also called for.
“It is important that government and sector operators and stakeholders now work collaboratively to identify economically, socially, and environmentally beneficial solutions for this fossil-fuel packaging,” Cooke said.
“This may include phasing out non-critical use wherever possible, material substitution to biogenic material – where feasible – and enabling realistic recycling options.”
Last year, a project trailing flexible plastic collections at kerbside in 10 UK local authorities over three years concluded that they are are popular with the public and easy to implement.
The Flexible Plastic Fund’s (FPF) project found that flexible plastic packaging can be incorporated into all collection service types with ‘relative ease’ through the use of collection bags, or loose in dry mixed recycling collections when appropriate sorting infrastructure is available.
Over 400 tonnes of flexible plastic packaging were collected from 160,000 households as part of the trials, making it the largest project of its kind in the UK.
Defra said the learnings from various trials, including the FlexCollect project, remains valuable and will inform the national rollout ahead of 2030.
However, the department continued that further sector engagement is needed to ‘look at interventions and develop solutions’.