Valpak research helps councils understand the flexible plastics challenge

Newly published research by Valpak by Reconomy, commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA), gives local authorities detailed evidence on the volumes, costs and practical challenges associated with household flexible plastics collections.

The research was carried out while councils in England were preparing for mandatory collections of plastic film and bags from March 2027. That deadline has since been moved to 2030, but councils remain at very different stages of preparation: some already collect flexible plastics, others have contracts or plans in place, while others are still considering how and when to introduce a service. 

For councils, understanding how much material they are likely to handle, how it could be collected and sorted, what outlets are available and what the service could cost therefore remains important regardless of the revised rollout date.

Evidence-led modelling can help councils understand what flexible plastics collections could mean for their own services.

Valpak’s analysis estimates that around 770,000 tonnes of film is placed on the market annually in England, with 392,000 tonnes entering household waste streams. Councils in England currently collect only around 15,000 tonnes of household film for recycling. Under nationwide rollout, this was estimated to rise initially to around 96,000 tonnes a year.

The research examined not just the quantity of material, but the readiness of the system to handle it, including collection arrangements, sorting and reprocessing capacity and available end markets.

It found that current UK reprocessing capacity would not have been sufficient to handle the anticipated step-change in tonnage under the original timetable. Around 145,000 tonnes of film sorting capacity and 139,000 tonnes of reprocessing capacity currently exists in the UK, with some of that capacity also required for commercial film and rigid plastics.

Steve Gough, CEO of Valpak, said: “Whatever the timetable, local authorities need clear evidence to understand what flexible plastics collections could mean for their services. This is a challenging waste stream, and the picture will vary considerably between councils. Understanding likely volumes, collection systems, available capacity and end markets will help authorities plan and assess the implications for their own services.”

The research also highlights the financial implications. Valpak estimated England-wide costs for collecting and managing household plastic film at between £82 million and £301 million a year – equivalent to around £3 to £12 per household.

The cost to an individual authority will depend on factors including its existing collection system, whether film will be collected loose or in bags, sorting arrangements and available treatment routes.

An estimated 14% of film in household waste streams is non-packaging material. Unlike packaging, the costs associated with this material will not be covered by packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) payments.

For local authorities, the national figures provide a starting point rather than a prescription. Different collection systems, contracts, infrastructure and local circumstances mean that individual councils may face very different costs and practical considerations.

Zoe Goodman, Principal Consultant at Valpak, said: “There is no single answer that will apply to every council. Our role in this work was to examine the evidence objectively: how much material there is, where it currently goes, what capacity exists and what different collection approaches could cost. That same kind of modelling can help individual authorities understand what flexible plastics could mean for their own services.”

Valpak’s consultancy team combines detailed packaging data with material-flow analysis, cost modelling and practical waste and recycling expertise. The LGA study drew on Valpak’s packaging data alongside information from FlexCollect, WRAP, councils and industry stakeholders.

Valpak Consulting also produces the PackFlow reports, the industry baseline for understanding the quantities of different packaging materials placed on the UK market. The reports are now freely available at packflow.co, and Valpak also undertakes bespoke material-flow analysis for individual clients.

This type of modelling can help local authorities and other organisations understand their own material flows, likely costs and the implications of changes to collection and recycling systems.

The findings are also relevant to the wider recycling industry, producers and policymakers by providing evidence on the scale and composition of the material stream and the infrastructure required to manage it.

The full report, Rolling out plastic film collections to all households in England, is available from Valpak.

Valpak’s PackFlow analysis on plastic film recycling in England is also available online.

Ends

Editors notes

Editor’s notes:

• Valpak’s mission is to create a sustainable, waste-free world. We are driven, not by today. We are driven by tomorrow.
• We help our clients to reduce waste and recycle more, continually innovating and using leading data science and expertise to inspire businesses, help push ourselves – and our industry – forward. We don’t just show our customers how to navigate waste regulations; we help them become more sustainable, through our ever-increasing capabilities and pioneering innovations.
• Valpak is the largest environmental compliance scheme in the UK. We work with major names, such as Aldi, Tesco, ASOS, and Miele, and manages compliance for more than 2,000 businesses. In 2022, it celebrated its 25th anniversary.
• Valpak is part of Reconomy, an international circular economy specialist that combines technology, skills and incredible people to build sustainability ‘loops’ that create circular opportunities for business. This is achieved through a tech enabled, people-powered approach that helps Reconomy’s customers to better manage their resources, reduce waste, optimise their supply chains, and contribute in a meaningful way towards the circular economy.

Valpak services include:

• Compliance under Waste Packaging, WEEE, and Battery Directives.
• Data insights.
• International compliance.
• Consultancy.
• Accreditation under environmental schemes, such as Zero Waste to Landfill.
• Valpak invests in pioneering systems and expertise which enable its customers to analyse, assess and improve product design. The Product Data Hub, Insight Platform and dedicated teams work together to drive change.

Links

Valpak report: https://www.valpak.co.uk/knowledge-hub-post/plastic-film-collections-england-report/

PackFlow report: https://packflow.co/packflow-report/plastic-film-recycling-england/

Further information / interviews

Ellie Mitchell

Marketing Manager, Valpak

Ellie.mitchell@valpak.co.uk