In the UK, plastic makes up about 9% of household waste by weight, with plastic packaging accounting for almost 70% of that.
The recycling rate for plastic packaging in the UK has increased over time. In 2023, the UK allegedly recycled 52.5% of its plastic packaging waste - however huge volumes of the UK's plastic waste materials are shipped around the world for recycling with the United Kingdom being one of the largest exporters on Earth.In truth, the UK is so reliant on exporting plastic waste that approximately half of the country's plastic packaging 'sent for recycling' is currently shipped abroad. 'Sent for recycling' excludes all the plastic put into general/household non recycling.
The UK exports plastic waste to (among others) Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, of which:-
Turkey recycles an estimated 6% of the plastic it receives. The remaining plastic is either incinerated (Turkey has a limited number of waste incinerators) or sent to landfills.
Malaysia's overall recycling rate is low, estimated to be at best, around 10.5%.
Indonesia recycles about 10% of the plastic waste it generates which casts serious doubt on the amount of imported plastics that it imports from the UK. This is due to a number of factors, including a lack of modern technology, funding, and skilled labour to handle plastic waste.
Vietnam allegedly recycles approximately (up to) 33% of the key plastic resins (polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE)) it receives with a significant amount of material value lost in the process; differing estimates suggest that up to 75% of total volume of recyclable plastics in Vietnam (domestic and imported) is not recycled.
Despite having a relatively high recycling capacity (theoretical) the actual percentage of plastic recycled in Vietnam remains low due to challenges such as poor waste sorting, lack of local demand for recycled plastics, and reliance on low-quality imported plastic s/crap.
Vietnam has faced criticism for importing large quantities of plastic waste, with concerns that a substantial portion of this imported waste cannot be effectively recycled. In its favour, with government backing, foreign investment, and technological advancements, Vietnam’s plastic recycling market is poised for massive growth, supporting both environmental sustainability and economic development.
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