Plastic
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' [1]. 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 [2].
The amount of plastic waste produced is very significant, with plastic packaging making up two-thirds of waste generated in the UK in 2014 (3.3 million tonnes). 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 recycled or sent to Energy Recovery, with these treatment methods dealing with 91% of plastic waste in 2016 and the remainder 9% being sent to landfill[2].
Since plastic waste can be dealt with in a variety of ways, the Waste Hierarchy, introduced by the Waste Framework Directive, is the framework in which processing plastic waste needs to be applied to.
Macro Tonnage
The most recent information published by DEFRA [3] [4]is summarized in the pie chart below, with 1,528,527 tonnes of plastic wastes generated in the UK in 2016 as part of the broader tonnage reported in UK Waste Tonnage:
PET [1]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
HDPE (2)
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
PVC [3]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
LDPE [4]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
PP [5]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
PS [6]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
OTHER PLASTICS [7]
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
Mixed Plastic Bottles
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
Mixed Plastics
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
Video tapes, DVDs and CDs
Below is a list of local authorities that sends more than 2000 tonnes of this material to a single waste operator.
References
- ↑ Marriam-Webster, 2019. Definition of PLASTIC. Merriam-webster.com. [online] [Accessed 27 Feb. 2019].
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Smith, L. 2019. BRIEFING PAPER Number 08515, 30 September 2019 - Plastic waste. London: House of Commons Library. [online].
- ↑ Digest of Waste Resources 2018 reporting data from 2016
- ↑ UK Statistics on Waste 2019 updating some of the 2018 Digest with 2017 data