New 2017 Recycling Target Aims to Reduce Landfill by 400,000 Tonnes
19 October 2011 - New proposals have been introduced in the UK that aim to get tough on packaging recycling – the goal is to prevent 400,000 tonnes of packaging from reaching landfill by 2017.
The proposed new targets also include an increase in the steel recycling sector from 2012’s 71% to 76% in 2017, aluminium from 40% to 55% and plastics from 32% to 57%.
In addition, the new targets will further help to ease the demand on raw natural resources whilst making more recycled material available for businesses.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman announced the new measures, saying: “Christmas is a time when, more than ever, we all notice the amount of packaging that comes with the things we buy. An alarming amount of this is still going to landfill.”
She added: “These new, more ambitious targets will deliver real environmental and economic benefits. They will give a new incentive to companies to cut down on excess packaging and increase efforts to have their materials recycled.”
The new proposals were drawn up after recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Packaging and fulfil a commitment in the UK’s Waste Review.