UK project to track paper recycling data

United Kingdom – The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and Valpak are collaborating on research into paper and card packaging placed on the market in the UK as well as the volumes recycled, recovered or sent to landfill.

The aim is to provide the UK’s department for environment, food and rural affairs (DEFRA) with ‘robust and independent updated estimates’ of these flows for use in fulfilling EU requirements for the reporting of national recycling performance.

Valpak has established a steering group consisting of industry, DEFRA and Environment Agency members to oversee and provide insights into the outputs. The project is scheduled to report in early 2016.

Simon Weston of the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) comments: ‘The paper industry has for a long time been a leading material in recycling and this work will provide valuable insight not only into the amount of material in the UK but also help identify where improvements can be made.’

Collaborative projects involving WRAP and Valpak have already been undertaken on the market flows of glass, metals and plastics packaging.