The Flexible Plastic Fund (FPF) has launched its FlexCircular initiative, which aims to further accelerate the UK’s transition to a circular economy for flexible plastic packaging.
Building on the FPF FlexCollect project, which found that large-scale household collection of flexible plastic packaging is achievable, FPF FlexCircular aims to demonstrate how to move towards recycling and full-system circularity.
The initial project is undertaking research to determine the scale of investment required in the UK to recycle up to 400,000 tonnes of post-consumer flexible plastic packaging by 2030.
It will have a particular focus on achieving circularity for food-contact packaging – by recycling it back into food-contact packaging.
The project, which will report its findings towards the end of 2026, is a collaborative effort led by Ecosurety with input from DEFRA, PackUK, the Welsh Government, and Zero Waste Scotland, and a project team comprising Suez, CEFLEX, WRAP, and RECOUP.
Commenting on the project, Gareth Morton, Discovery Manager at Ecosurety and FPF lead, said: “FPF FlexCircular is about turning the proof of collections into a real, investable circular system.”
“By understanding what the UK needs in terms of investment, infrastructure and policy, we can maximise the opportunity to recycle flexible plastics at scale, creating benefits for industry, consumers, and the environment alike.”
The project has several key aims, including analysing how much recycled flexible plastic may be needed by industry from 2030 onwards, and whether supply will meet demand.
It will also evaluate what types of recycling facilities, such as mechanical, chemical, or future technologies, may be needed in the UK, and at what capacity, and what level of investment might be required to build this infrastructure.
Finally, the project will assess the costs and risks of continuing to use virgin plastics and what policies and incentives may help to align the value chain to support UK recycling infrastructure investment.
FPF Spokesperson, Richard Akkermans, said the FlexCircular project represents a ‘pivotal moment’ for flexible packaging in the UK.
“We’ve proven that collection at scale is possible – the next opportunity is to close the loop by investing in the recycling infrastructure to match,” Akkermans said.
“For the Flexible Plastic Fund, achieving circularity for food-contact flexible plastics isn’t just an ambition, it’s a necessity. This research aims to provide the roadmap that the value chain needs to invest in the UK with confidence and deliver positive environmental outcomes for the future.”
The FPF FlexCollect project was set up in May 2022 to understand the best way to collect and recycle flexible plastic packaging and to trial kerbside collections across nine different waste collection authorities over three years.
89% of households that took part in the pilot said they were ‘very satisfied’ with the kerbside collections trial.