New policy commission report explores the challenges and opportunities facing the UK's plastics recycling and reprocessing sector.
The Birmingham Plastics Network (BPN) launched its latest policy commission report ‘Recycling as reindustrialisation: building the UK's circular plastics industry’ at the Resource and Waste Management Expo 2026.
The new commission examines the challenges and opportunities surrounding UK plastics recycling, calling for a long-term UK strategy to strengthen domestic plastics recycling and reprocessing, while recognising the sector’s role in the country's industrial infrastructure.
The commission brought together industry experts, policymakers and researchers, alongside 28 witnesses, to develop practical yet ambitious recommendations aimed at increasing domestic recycling and reprocessing capacity, strengthening markets for recycled materials, and creating greater certainty for long-term investment.
Our recommendations aim to shift the perception of plastics recycling from a waste management challenge to a vital element of our industrial infrastructure. Strengthening domestic recycling and reprocessing capacity could help retain more value in the UK, through supporting manufacturing supply chains, improving resource security and creating skilled employment.
The report’s findings consider the entire plastics value chain, from collection and sorting through to recycling, reprocessing and the use of recycled materials, recognising that environmental and regulatory challenges are closely connected.
Professor Andrew Dove said: “Our recommendations aim to shift the perception of plastics recycling from a waste management challenge to a vital element of our industrial infrastructure. Strengthening domestic recycling and reprocessing capacity could help retain more value in the UK, through supporting manufacturing supply chains, improving resource security and creating skilled employment.”
With more than 200,000 tonnes of plastic packaging reprocessing capacity lost since the end of 2024, and current operational capacity estimated to cover only around 23% of plastic packaging placed on the UK market, there is urgent need for clear-sighted action.
The policy commission is a significant follow-up to the BPN's 2024 ‘Sustainable Plastics Policy Commission’, demonstrating that with the right long-term investment, infrastructure and policy support, plastics recycling could become a cornerstone of a more resilient and competitive circular economy.
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Professor of Sustainable Polymer Chemistry
Professor Andrew Dove leads the Dove Research Group, a multinational collection of vibrant and dynamic researchers that are focussed on challenges in polymer and materials science.
