University of Birmingham Report Unveils Hidden Challenges in UK’s Simpler Recycling Rollout

A major new report from the University of Birmingham’s Plastics Network ‘Simpler Recycling: Hidden Impacts for Circular Plastics Systems’ has cast a spotlight on the complex challenges facing the UK’s upcoming Simpler Recycling (SR) policy, set to be fully implemented across households in 2026. The report, informed by data provided by RECOUP and the BBIA, provides a comprehensive analysis of the infrastructure, policy, and public engagement hurdles that could impact the success of the initiative.

Aiming for Circularity, Facing Complexity

Simpler Recycling is designed to standardise waste collection across England, with the goal of achieving a 65% recycling rate by 2035. While the policy promises to reduce confusion and improve recycling outcomes, the report warns of unintended consequences if infrastructure and market systems are not adequately prepared.

Key findings include:

• Infrastructure Shortfalls: England faces a projected 3 million tonne shortfall in recycling capacity by 2035, with many Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) outdated and ill-equipped to handle new waste streams like flexible plastic films and compostables.

• Market Gaps: Councils will be collecting more low-value plastics, but lack viable end markets to sell them. Without demand, these materials risk being incinerated or exported, undermining public trust.

• Policy Overlap: SR interacts with other major policies—Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), and the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)— interactions which create strategic uncertainty and financial strain for local authorities.

• Public Awareness Crisis: A staggering 70% of the public is unaware of the upcoming changes. Confusion around terms like “compostable” and “biodegradable” is also widespread, contributing to contamination and greenwashing concerns.

Recommendations for Reform

The report outlines a series of policy recommendations to ensure SR delivers on its promise:

• Invest in infrastructure: Upgrade MRFs, anaerobic digestion (AD), and in-vessel composting (IVC) facilities, especially in rural and low-income areas.

• Stimulate markets: Use EPR and PPT to create demand for hard-to-recycle materials and incentivise innovation.

• Improve communication: Launch a national awareness campaign with unified branding and clear messaging, including standardised labelling, supported by digital tools and local authority engagement.

• Coordinate policies: Align SR with DRS, EPR, and ETS through a systems-level review to avoid conflicting incentives and unintended costs.

A Call for Strategic Action

University of Birmingham’s analysis urges policymakers to treat SR not as a standalone reform, but as part of a broader circular economy strategy. With coordinated investment, transparent communication, and policy alignment, Simpler Recycling could become a transformative force in the UK’s environmental landscape.

Read the Simpler Recycling Report.