News from Plastics in the Environment

Latest news and updates from the Plastics in the Environment special interest group.

The Story of Plastic Q&A Panel

SIG members Judy Lee, Rosalind Malcolm and Kayleigh Wyles took part on a Q&A panel following a showing of the documentary: ‘The Story of Plastic’ (2020, Discovery network).

As the world’s relationship with plastic is being radically redefined, academics at the University of Surrey investigate bold new food packaging pledges made by some of the world’s most prominent brands – and question whether these pledges will translate into measurable actions.
The report, presented at the RECOUP Plastics Recycling and Resources Conference 2019, evaluates the extent to which businesses in the food and drink packaging industry – which accounts for approximately 40 per cent of plastics produced – are responding to legal and societal drivers to change their approach to single-use plastics.
Surrey academics have analysed the plastic-related public communications from Carlsberg Group, Nestlé, Aldi, Marks and Spencer, Iceland, Quorn, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Müller, Princes, Kraft Heinz and Waitrose.

A new report by Friends of the Earth has revealed that as much as 19,000 tonnes of microplastic pollution could be entering UK waterways every year from vehicle tyres
Microplastics can absorb and concentrate toxic pollutants from seawater, making them poisonous to animals
Friends of the Earth is advising a number of measures to combat car tyre pollution and calls for the government to plan for a reduction to zero plastic pollution by 2042

The Local Government Association (LGA) has completed recent analysis which indicates that two-thirds of all plastic food container waste is still being incinerated or thrown into landfill
The LGA recommends a ban on the use of low-grade plastic in order to increase recycling
Separation of plastic parts at materials recovery facilities should be improved to assist manufacturers in creating high-quality recyclable products.

The new fund aims to explore new ideas and innovations that can encourage changes in the UK's plastics manufacturing and consumption patterns
The Plastics and Research Innovation Fund (PRIF) will be managed by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
The PRIF aims to engage scientists and innovators to help achieve a more circular economic and sustainable approach to plastics for the UK.

The focus of the APPG is ‘to monitor the progress of the 25-year Environment Plan in relation to plastic waste; to raise issues relating to the impact of plastic waste on our environment and to provide a cross-party forum to work towards the minimisation of plastic waste’.