World-wide production of plastic materials has increased from less than 5 million tonnes in the 1950s to about 80 million tonnes in 1997. In 1995 consumption of plastics in Western Europe was 28.4 million tonnes with the UK's consumption nearly 4 million tonnes. The amount of plastic waste generated in the UK is about 2.4 million tonnes which is considerably lower than the amount consumed, giving an indication of the quantities of plastics used in long lifetime applications. Of the 2.4 million tonnes of plastic waste, an estimated 200,000 tonnes is 'process scrap', 800,000 tonnes is commercial waste and 1,400,000 tonnes is domestic plastic waste. 61% of the total plastic waste from Western Europe is packaging, which typically has a 'life' of less then 12 months.

Types of Plastic

There are about 50 different family groups of plastics, with hundreds of different varieties. Because plastics are light in weight, transport costs for waste plastic to a recycling centre are relatively high, and the number of different plastics makes sorting complicated. To make recycling easier, the American Society of Plastics Industry developed a marking code to help people identify and sort the six main types of plastic. These types are shown below:

Degradable Plastic

Bio-degradable plastics, which contain a small percentage of non oil-based material, such as corn starch, and photo-degradable plastics, have a role in reducing waste and limiting the possible dangers of plastic litter. Carriers for packs of beer cans are now being manufactured in a plastic which photo-degrades in six weeks. The ability of plastics to degrade is dependent on conditions, for instance a photo-degradable plastic product will not degrade if it is buried in a landfill site where there is no light. Another concern is that these materials may lead to an increase in litter if people believe that discarded plastics will simply disappear.

What You Can Do

• Rather than throwing them away, give plastic toys or containers to children's scrap stores or play groups for re-use. Contact the Waste Watch Wasteline for details.
• Take any plastic containers which are recyclable to collecting banks run by local authorities or voluntary groups. Many local authorities now have Recycling Officers and they will be able to give you information about which materials are collected or any plans for future schemes. Wasteline can tell you who to contact at your local authority.
• If they do not already run one suggest to your local authority that they consider starting a plastics recycling scheme. The development of market opportunities has meant that at the moment demand is outstripping supply of plastic bottles, so new initiatives are needed to feed the process and ensure its success.
• Encourage your local authority to buy products, such as street furniture, made from recycled plastic rather than wood. Recycling has not occurred, and has therefore not been of benefit, until the reprocessed plastic is back in use in some way. There needs to be a demand for the end product for the collection schemes to be successful, so markets need to be encouraged to develop.
• Use plastic containers and bags again or make them into something else. For example use yoghurt pots to grow seedlings, use the top part of drinks bottles as cloches for plants and re-use clean plastic carriers or offer them to charity shops.
• The Body Shop refill or take back their containers for recycling. The regranulated plastic is used to make items like nail brushes and combs.
• Try to choose goods which are packaged in a material which can be recycled or returned in your area.
• Look for products, e.g. bin liners and refuse sacks, made from recycled plastic, now available in many supermarkets. Also look out for products packaged in at least partially recycled material - Shell Oil's 1 litre and 4 litre Helix oil packs now contain a proportion of recycled plastic, collected from domestic and industrial waste.
• Try to reduce the need to throw away plastics. For example, take a shopping bag to the supermarket or corner shop, or re-use the bags you were given last time. Don't accept a bag if you don't need one.
• Think of ways of reducing packaging waste. You could, for example, make your own yoghurt or fruit drinks. Avoid buying items you consider are over-packaged. Don't add extra packaging yourself - a melon, a grapefruit or a bunch of bananas already has natural packaging - does it need to go in a plastic bag as well as your shopping bag, and does that already efficiently packaged dairy product or piece of meat really need another wrapper?
• When they are beyond reuse, plastic carrier bags can be put into collection banks at all Safeway's, and some Sainsbury's, supermarkets.

Local Groups
If you are considering starting a plastics collection scheme you will need to;

• Talk to your local authority about their plans for collecting plastics.
• Make sure there is a reliable market in the area: find out if there are any firms which recycle plastics, what type or types they take, the minimum quantity they will accept at a time, the price and whether or not they will collect.
• Think about the volume of material involved. For example, one tonne means 300,000 polythene bags. Considerable storage space would be needed and it could be a fire hazard.
• Identify and sort the materials. This can be difficult if they are not all marked with the SPI codes and it is time-consuming.

Publications you may find useful:

• Community Recycling, a comprehensive guide to setting up, maintaining or expanding a local recycling scheme.
• Work at Waste at Work, a practical guide to dealing with office wastes. It includes ideas on reducing and reusing everything from toner cartridges through to toilet rolls, as well as a step-by-step guide to setting up an office recycling scheme.
• The National Recycling Directory, listing national and regional contacts for recycling of various materials including local authority, industry and community organisations. This is a comprehensive resource covering all of the United Kingdom.
• The Recycled Products Guide, the first ever UK listing of products made from recycled material. Buying recycled products for use in your organisation is a practical way to demonstrate commitment to the environment and "closing the loop", ensuring markets for recycled products.

Useful Addresses and Sources of Information

APME (Association of Plastics Manufacturers in Europe)
Avenue E. Van Nieuwenhuyse 4,
B-1160 BRUXELLES,
Belgium
Tel. 00 322 675 3297
Fax. 00 322 675 3935
Contact: Dr Alan Griffiths
APME produce a series of reports on plastics.

BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION
Environment Team
6 Bath Place
Rivington St
LONDON, EC2A 3JE
Tel. 0171 457 5000
dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/plaza/fx68/
Fact sheets on plastics and Directory of UK Companies involved in the recycling of plastics.

LINPAC Plastics Limited
A1 Business Park
KNOTTINGLEY
West YorkshireWF11 0BS
Tel. 01977 671 111
Environmental Manager: Mr David Eggleston
Recycling Projects Manager: Mr Alan Davey
LINPAC Plastics recycle post-consumer polyethylene and polystyrene at their plants in Cheshire and West Yorkshire.

SAVE-A-CUP RECYCLING CO LTD
Suite 2, Bridge House
Bridge Street
HIGH WYCOMBE
Buckinghamshire
HP11 2EL
Tel. 01494 510 167
National Field Sales Manager: Pauline Jennings
Save-a-Cup run a national programme for the recycling of hard-walled polystyrene vending cups. The recyclate is used by manufacturers in products such as video cassettes, cup holders and vending machine parts.

BRITISH POLYTHENE INDUSTRIES PLC
96 Port Glasgow Road,
Greenock,
Strathclyde
Tel: 01475 745432
Fax: 01294 605111
Provide free information on plastic recycling.

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