Plastic: Difference between revisions

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Current estimates are that there was 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the market in 2017 with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic primarily from the construction sector. There is some debate around the accuracy of these figures, with earlier reports on non-packaging waste closer to 1,5000,000 tonnes.

[[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types‏‎]]

== Overview ==

Plastics are defined as 'any of numerous organic synthetic or processed materials that are mostly thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers of high molecular weight and that can be made into objects, films, or filaments' <ref>Marriam-Webster, 2019. [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plastic Definition of PLASTIC. Merriam-webster.com.] [online] [Accessed 27 Feb. 2019].</ref>. Although plastics present many benefits, plastic waste, generally, does not decompose and therefore persists in the environment presenting a variety of wide-reaching environmental issues, polluting soils, rivers and oceans, and harming the creatures that inhabit them <ref name="foo">Smith, L. 2019. [http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8515/CBP-8515.pdf BRIEFING PAPER Number 08515, 30 September 2019 - Plastic waste.] London: House of Commons Library. [online].</ref>.

Plastic waste being sent to [[Landfill]] is decreasing; between 2012 and 2016 the tonnage dropped from 122,400 to 53,400. This is due to an increase in plastic waste being [[Recycling|recycled]] or sent to [[Energy Recovery Facility|Energy Recovery]], with these treatment methods dealing with 91% of plastic waste in 2016 and the remaining 9% being sent to landfill<ref name="foo" />.

Plastic waste reported as being sent to [[Landfill]] is decreasing; between 2012 and 2016 the tonnage dropped from 122,400 to 53,400. This is due to an increase in plastic waste being [[Recycling|recycled]] or sent to [[Energy Recovery Facility|Energy Recovery]], with these treatment methods dealing with 91% of plastic waste in 2016 and the remaining 9% being sent to landfill<ref name="foo" />.

The current focus in the media on the harm that plastic causes in the environment often does not consider the benefits that plastics can bring in a number of ways, including food preservation. The debate on the merits or otherwise of plastics use, and alternatives, is gathering momentum in the UK at present.

A recently published House of Commons Library Briefing Paper (7th January 2020) <ref>[https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8515#fullreport Commons Briefing Paper CBP-8515]</ref> sets out some further issues and a link to all relevant legislation and policy issues at the present time.

== Macro Tonnage ==

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The macro numbers above under report the total plastics put into the market as the macro numbers exclude tonnage in mixed categories. The macro numbers also do not breakdown the component elements of plastic, but the following headers in the page are the materials as handled by local authorities and as reported through [[WasteDataFlow]].

The macro numbers above under report the total plastics put into the market, as the macro numbers exclude tonnage which would otherwise be captured in mixed categories. The macro numbers also do not breakdown the component elements of plastic, but the following headers in the page are the materials as handled by local authorities and as reported through [[WasteDataFlow]].

[[WRAP]] in their most recent report <ref> [http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/WRAP_Plastics_market_situation_report.pdf WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2019]</ref> identify 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the market in 2017 (of which around 550,000 tonnes was collected by local authorities) with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic primarily from the construction sector. There is some debate around the accuracy of these figures, and an earlier evolution of this report in 2016 <ref>[https://www.wrap.org.uk/collections-and-reprocessing/recovered-materials-markets/reports/market-situation-reports-plastics WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2016] </ref> reported non-packaging waste closer to 1,5000,000 tonnes.

[[WRAP]] in their most recent report <ref> [http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/WRAP_Plastics_market_situation_report.pdf WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2019]</ref> identify 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the ~~market in 2017 (of which~~ around ~~550,000 tonnes was collected by local authorities) with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging~~ plastic ~~primarily from the construction sector. The report further breaks down the~~ tonnage ~~and polymer mix~~ in the ~~plastic packaging waste~~ placed on the market.

Indeed earlier plastics reports by [[WRAP]] acknowledge the challenges and accuracy around estimating plastic tonnage in the UK (in many cases relying on plastics placed on the market rather than plastics actually recycled to derive figures due to the poor quality of waste figures).

~~The~~ total plastics placed on the market ~~therefore~~ at the [[WRAP]] figure of 4,900,000 tonnes represents 2.2% of total [[UK Waste Tonnage]] but when taking out of consideration the categories of mineral waste (from construction and demolition and mines and quarries), soils, dredging spoils and sludges it represents 7.1% of total waste generated.

Assuming the total plastics placed on the market at the [[WRAP]] figure of 4,900,000 tonnes, this represents 2.2% of total [[UK Waste Tonnage]] but when taking out of consideration the categories of mineral waste (from construction and demolition and mines and quarries), soils, dredging spoils and sludges it represents 7.1% of total waste generated.

The headers below presently only capture the tonnage collected and reported by ~~loacal~~ authorities through [[WasteDataFlow]].

The headers below presently only capture the tonnage collected and reported by local authorities through [[WasteDataFlow]].

== PET (1) ==

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+Current estimates are that there was 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the market in 2017 with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic primarily from the construction sector. There is some debate around the accuracy of these figures, with earlier reports on non-packaging waste closer to 1,5000,000 tonnes.
 [[Category:Tonnage & Waste Types‏‎]]
 == Overview ==
 Plastics are defined as 'any of numerous organic synthetic or processed materials that are mostly thermoplastic or thermosetting polymers of high molecular weight and that can be made into objects, films, or filaments' <ref>Marriam-Webster, 2019. [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plastic Definition of PLASTIC. Merriam-webster.com.] [online] [Accessed 27 Feb. 2019].</ref>. Although plastics present many benefits, plastic waste, generally, does not decompose and therefore persists in the environment presenting a variety of wide-reaching environmental issues, polluting soils, rivers and oceans, and harming the creatures that inhabit them <ref name="foo">Smith, L. 2019. [http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-8515/CBP-8515.pdf BRIEFING PAPER Number 08515, 30 September 2019 - Plastic waste.] London: House of Commons Library. [online].</ref>.
-Plastic waste being sent to [[Landfill]] is decreasing; between 2012 and 2016 the tonnage dropped from  122,400 to 53,400. This is due to an increase in plastic waste being [[Recycling|recycled]] or sent to [[Energy Recovery Facility|Energy Recovery]], with these treatment methods dealing with 91% of plastic waste in 2016 and the remaining 9% being sent to landfill<ref name="foo" />.
+Plastic waste reported as being sent to [[Landfill]] is decreasing; between 2012 and 2016 the tonnage dropped from  122,400 to 53,400. This is due to an increase in plastic waste being [[Recycling|recycled]] or sent to [[Energy Recovery Facility|Energy Recovery]], with these treatment methods dealing with 91% of plastic waste in 2016 and the remaining 9% being sent to landfill<ref name="foo" />.
 The current focus in the media on the harm that plastic causes in the environment often does not consider the benefits that plastics can bring in a number of ways, including food preservation. The debate on the merits or otherwise of plastics use, and alternatives, is gathering momentum in the UK at present.
+A recently published House of Commons Library Briefing Paper (7th January 2020) <ref>[https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8515#fullreport Commons Briefing Paper CBP-8515]</ref> sets out some further issues and a link to all relevant legislation and policy issues at the present time.
 == Macro Tonnage ==
@@ Line 38: / Line 41: @@
-The macro numbers above under report the total plastics put into the market as the macro numbers exclude tonnage in mixed categories. The macro numbers also do not breakdown the component elements of plastic, but the following headers in the page are the materials as handled by local authorities and as reported through [[WasteDataFlow]].
+The macro numbers above under report the total plastics put into the market, as the macro numbers exclude tonnage which would otherwise be captured in mixed categories. The macro numbers also do not breakdown the component elements of plastic, but the following headers in the page are the materials as handled by local authorities and as reported through [[WasteDataFlow]].
+[[WRAP]] in their most recent report <ref> [http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/WRAP_Plastics_market_situation_report.pdf WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2019]</ref> identify 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the market in 2017 (of which around 550,000 tonnes was collected by local authorities) with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic primarily from the construction sector. There is some debate around the accuracy of these figures, and an earlier evolution of this report in 2016 <ref>[https://www.wrap.org.uk/collections-and-reprocessing/recovered-materials-markets/reports/market-situation-reports-plastics WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2016] </ref> reported non-packaging waste closer to 1,5000,000 tonnes.
-[[WRAP]] in their most recent report <ref> [http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/WRAP_Plastics_market_situation_report.pdf WRAP Plastics Market Situation Report 2019]</ref> identify 2,400,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste placed on the market in 2017 (of which around 550,000 tonnes was collected by local authorities) with a further 2,500,000 tonnes of non-packaging plastic primarily from the construction sector. The report further breaks down the tonnage and polymer mix in the plastic packaging waste placed on the market.
+Indeed earlier plastics reports by [[WRAP]] acknowledge the challenges and accuracy around estimating plastic tonnage in the UK (in many cases relying on plastics placed on the market rather than plastics actually recycled to derive figures due to the poor quality of waste figures).
-The total plastics placed on the market therefore at the [[WRAP]] figure of 4,900,000 tonnes represents 2.2% of total [[UK Waste Tonnage]] but when taking out of consideration the categories of mineral waste (from construction and demolition and mines and quarries), soils, dredging spoils and sludges it represents 7.1% of total waste generated.
+Assuming the total plastics placed on the market at the [[WRAP]] figure of 4,900,000 tonnes, this represents 2.2% of total [[UK Waste Tonnage]] but when taking out of consideration the categories of mineral waste (from construction and demolition and mines and quarries), soils, dredging spoils and sludges it represents 7.1% of total waste generated.
-The headers below presently only capture the tonnage collected and reported by loacal authorities through [[WasteDataFlow]].
+The headers below presently only capture the tonnage collected and reported by local authorities through [[WasteDataFlow]].
 == PET (1) ==