Paul Mayhew, MBA Polymer UK General Manager and President of EURIC’s Plastic Recycling Branch (EPRB) supports frozen food specialist, Iceland’s call for other retailers to publish figures for their total plastics packaging use, as it reveals its own.

Paul Mayhew said: “As a leading plastics recycler, we welcome Iceland’s commitment to greater transparency in reporting the true scale of plastic waste generated by their primary product and delivery packaging.

“We also support Iceland’s call for the UK Government to amend the Environment Bill to incorporate mandatory plastic packaging reporting for businesses and reduction targets for UK plastic pollution.

“You cannot manage what you do not measure - businesses need to be clear about the true extent of their plastic waste, to enable them to reduce their impact on the environment.

“If ecologically designed for recycling, plastic packaging cuts the overall carbon impact through its light weight and its ability to extend product life.

“Manufacturers must eliminate non-recyclable materials and ensure that they select plastic packaging which is designed to be recycled.

“To help the UK move towards a circular economy for plastic packaging, Business and the UK Government must:

  • Support and promote the move towards greater transparency and ownership by brands
  • Promote the use of recycled content to drive the recycling of ‘recyclable single use plastics’
  • Support concrete UK targets for reducing plastic waste and promoting the circular economy through recycled content incentives or targets

 “Iceland’s commitment should inspire all businesses across the UK to understand the true scale of the amount of plastic waste they generate and influence UK Government and the packaging supply chain to take action to work towards a circular economy.”

MBA Polymers UK Manager