British Plastics Federation responds to BBC
British Plastics Federation responds to BBC’s War on Plastic documentary
The programme, fronted by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and TV and radio presenter Anita Rami, has provoked a major response throughout the plastics industry, with the BPF the latest to issue its reaction.
The BPF said: “The BBC’s War on Plastic programme highlighted many important issues and clearly taps into the concerns of a lot of people. Addressing many of these issues aligns with the desires of the plastics recycling industries, namely to reduce plastic waste and improve our recycling infrastructure.”
“The UK plastics industry would like to see the UK reduce its reliance on exporting its plastic waste and for stringent quality control to ensure that any waste that is sent abroad for recycling, is actually recycled, and is done so in an environmentally friendly way.”
"Plastic brings about many benefits, enabling many other cutting-edge technologies and keeping the weight and fuel emissions of vehicles down. IT also contributes significantly to minimising food waste, which is partly why pre-packaged goods are often cheaper than loose goods. The enemy is not plastic, it is plastic waste."
“Plastic needs to be used responsibly and where it provides value, and ultimately recycled in all cases where possible. When it is not possible, in most cases, recovering the energy at an Energy from Waste facility is the next best option.”
“The programme was right to say that people need to be given a choice in supermarkets. But if we are to giving people a choice, we also need to present them with enough information to make an informed choice.”
“It is right and encouraging that people are showing concern for the environment and the impacts of all our actions have. We can all made a difference. People should educate themselves about the vital role packaging plays to help them make informed decisions about the packaging and products that do or do not need in their lives.”
“Industry, government, and local authorities need to work together to simplify recycling for people across the entire UK.”
Primex reiterates the message pushed by the BPF - it is vital that the current rhetoric surround the "War on Plastics" is revised. Plastics are not the problem in every scenario, but rather what is done with the waste; and in fact, the key is that we ensure effective recycling of said waste, not its initial use. As Primex extrudes solely Polyolefins, which are excellent in their recyclability, any waste which we produce is dealt with in the right way. Furthermore, as eluded to in the BPF statement, there are actually a myriad of examples where the use of Plastics is in fact the best material to utilise, rather than other environmentally damaging process like Steel or using paper which originates from deforestation. As the majority of our sheets go into industrial applications, often replacing steel or other metals, plastics in fact offer a light-weight, environmentally considered solution.