WORKING

ZERO PLASTIC WASTE

4% LOSSES

SOLUTION
8%
TOWARDS A
14% COLLECTED FO
CASCADED

R REC
RECYCLING 2% CLOSED-LOOP RECYCLING
YC
LING
IMPROVED RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES
98% 78 14% INCINERATED
CHEMICAL RECYCLING MECHANICAL RECYCLING
SMART SORTING TECHNOLOGIES
Problem: The variety of plastics make it
FROM NON- MILLION
40% GOES TO LANDFILL difficult to identify polymer types.
RECYLED TONNES Where mechanical Effective separation and
SOURCES ANNUAL PLASTIC recycling fails, polymer cleaning technologies OPTICAL SORTING
PACKAGING PRODUCTION* 32% LEAKS TO ENVI
types (in mixed recycling) preserve the integrity of

RONMENT
*Global figures for 2013 Optical sorting technologies
can be chemically polymer types – resulting in
14% of plastics are collected for can recognise polymer types
separated at a a higher quality recycled
by illuminating the material

r
recycling (4% is lost, 8% is recycled to

a
molecular level. products that can be recycled

ye
and analysing the reflection
lower value plastics and only 2% in multiple times.

ch
spectrum.
00
ea
closed-loop recycling). ly
3

mi l
llio lo ba MARKER TECHNOLOGY
n to g
nnes of lastic crea ted This uses markers that can be
p quickly and easily scanned by
sorting machinery. These might
UK PLASTICS CONSUMPTION BENEFITS OF PLASTIC include printed barcodes,
44% packaging Versatile, durable, light, easily shaped, fluorescent labels and invisible
strong, inexpensive and able to be sterile. chemical markers.
7% automotive,
High quality
5% electrical and electronic plastics will allow for
24% building and construction cleaner, more efficient
20% other energy
recovery
through
incineration.

FOSSIL FUELS NEW CHEMISTRY Change behaviour – reduce Problem: Reducing leakage COMPOSTABLE PACKAGING
Problem: 90% of plastics are derived leakage, cut use of from 32% to 1% still results in
Problem: Plastic single-use plastics, one million tonnes of plastic material Problem: Many
from fossil fuel sources.

Sources: UKRI, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Solution: Use organic sources such quality degrades increase reuse, increase entering natural systems. ‘biodegradable’
as algae, cellulose and starch. during recycling, uptake of recycling. Solution: Greater adoption of items are only such
many plastics can bio-benign materials would limit under laboratory,
Plastics can be only be recycled environmental damage. or industrial
manufactured from once. conditions.
hydrocarbons derived Solution: Develop a new ‘super’ polymer – a high-quality,
from recaptured high-value plastic that can be recycled multiple times. HARNESSING BEASTIES Solution: Develop truly biodegradable, or
greenhouse gases. compostable plastics based on organic
UKRI scientists
NEW JOINING TECHNOLOGY LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC have been
feedstocks.

Problem: working with an MARINE

Problem: Use of glues,
MONO MATERIAL PACKAGING screws and clips complicates Unnecessary enzyme that has DEGRADABILITY
the sorting process. plastic volume. been shown to Problem: Most

Infographic: BEN GILLILAND

Problem: Packaging made
up of multiple plastic Solution: Develop Solution: break down biodegradable plastics
types is hard to recycle. bio-inspired glues that break Reduce wall plastics in landfills. Wax moth merely fragment in the
Solution: Design down to allow for easy thickness and larvae have also been shown to be environment –
packaging made of single plastics separation. Design mono material reinforce with ribs – greatly able to digest plastic bags and increasing microplastics in the oceans.
type plastics (mono packaging with components that snap together reducing the volume of plastic scientists have also identified a Solution: Develop truly marine
materials). – requiring no glue or screws. in the product. plastic-eating bacteria. degradable plastics.