Over 70 cross sector members and partners attended the meeting, including Government, retailers, waste management, packaging producers, reprocessors, trade organisations and independent specialists.
The challenges and opportunities in 2018 and some of the key work by RECOUP, as the leading plastics value chain co-ordinators, were outlined by the RECOUP team. There were insightful updates and dialogue with DEFRA, British Plasics Federation, LARAC, and a presentation on large scale recycling of PET trays in Holland.
The meeting outlined the core priorities which the RECOUP team and membership will focus on:
- Disposal and recycling ‘On the Go’
- Deposit Return System planning
- Consumer engagement and behaviour change, including Pledge 4 Plastics
- Plastic pot, tub and tray recycling
- Black plastics packaging recycling
- Design for Recyclability, including a suite of new targeted publications
- Household Plastics Collections Survey
- Encouraging use of recycled plastics in manufacturing
- End markets and material quality
RECOUP highlighted they handle an increasing number of enquiries (over 1,500 from media, indivduals and businesses in 2017), engage in responses to consultations and future strategies and a range of practical deliveries and projects for its members.
The RECOUP conference takes place on Thursday 27th September 2018.
New RECOUP member, Bühler UK Limited, gave an opportunity for attendees to tour the factory where they make their optical sorting machines. This included a demonstration of one of the potential solutions for black plastics recycling, showing the separation of black flakes from coloured flakes.
