Packaging Waste

The Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (as amended) set minimum Recovery (60%) and Recycling (55%) targets for Packaging waste to be met by 31 December 2008, as well as material specific targets.

Material Specific Targets

These material specific targets were:

• Glass 60%
• Paper & Card 50%
• Metal 50%
• Plastic 22.5%
• Wood 15%

Member States must continue to meet these minimum standards, but are free to set higher domestic targets if they chose. The provisional figures indicate 70.2% of UK Packaging Waste was either recycled or recovered in 2017 . The mechanism used to deliver evidence and drive the Packaging Waste targets is delivered in the UK through the PRN system.

UK Performance

Packaging Waste and Recycling/Recovery, split by material, UK 2017 (provisional)

	Packaging Waste Arising (kt)	Total Recovered/Recycled (kt)	Achieved Recovery/Recycling Rate (%)	EU Target Recovery/Recycling Rate (%)
Metal	736	525	71.3%	50.0%
of which: Aluminium	177	94	53.1%	z
of which: Steel	559	431	77.1%	z
Paper & Card	4,749	3,754	79.0%	60.0%
Glass	2,399	1,623	67.6%	60.0%
Plastic	2,260	1,044	46.2%	22.5%
Wood	1,310	411	31.4%	15.0%
Other Materials	23	0	0.0%	z
Total (for Recycling)	11,476	7,357	64.1%	55.0%
Energy from Waste	z	700	6.1%	z
Total (for Recycling and Recovery)	11,476	8,057	70.2%	60.0%

z = Not applicable

Arisings estimates made at point of manufacture.

UK Targets

Material or Process	2017 (%)	2018 (%)	2019 (%)	2020 (%)
General Recovery	79	80	81	82
General Recycling	92	92	92	92
Paper & Card	69.5	71	73	75
Glass	77	78	79	80
Aluminium	55	58	61	64
Steel	76	79	82	85
Plastic	51	53	55	57
Wood	22	38	43	48

The glass remelt target has stayed the same in the glass obligation at 67%.

The recycling factor which is multiplied by turnover to calculate the obligation for small producers has stayed the same at 30%