August M
A new analysis reported by The Guardian argues the UK could stop exporting plastic waste by 2030, build domestic recycling plants and unlock billions in economic value. Industry leaders say the shift would keep valuable material onshore and restore Britain’s weakened recycling sector.
A new economic assessment argues that Britain could halt plastic waste exports within the decade, rebuild domestic recycling capacity and capture major financial gains.
The Guardian reports that the proposal would reshape how the country handles the environmental burden of its own waste.
Political push for change
According to the consultancy Hybrid Economics, phasing out exports of unprocessed plastic packaging waste by 2030 could enable the UK to reclaim control of its recycling system.
Neville Hill, a partner at the firm, told The Guardian that the country is currently using “only half of its potential” to recycle plastic and could expand rapidly “provided government sets the right framework”.
The recommendations arrive as plastic exports continue to rise. Britain shipped nearly 600,000 tonnes overseas in 2024, a 5% increase on the previous year.
Campaigners say these flows reflect a loophole that makes exporting cheaper than recycling onshore.
Exports to Indonesia have been particularly high, The Guardian reports, exceeding 24,000 tonnes this year — despite the country’s ongoing struggle with severe plastic pollution.
Economic opportunity
The Hybrid Economics report concludes that the UK could build up to 15 new recycling facilities by 2030, attracting more than £800m in private investment.
The expanded capacity would generate nearly £900m in economic value each year, including at least £100m in additional annual tax revenues.
Industry leaders argue that exporting waste undermines the country’s economic interests.
The report notes that valuable feedstock is being lost overseas and that the UK is forfeiting a growth opportunity by failing to process its own materials.
The Guardian previously revealed that 21 UK plastic recycling and processing plants have closed in the past two years, squeezed by cheap virgin plastic, heavy export volumes and low-cost imports from Asia.
Calls from industry
Biffa Polymers, which commissioned the report, says past successes prove domestic recycling can thrive.
Managing director James McLeary told The Guardian the company has recycled 10bn HDPE milk bottles over two decades — a reminder, he said, that “when the right conditions are in place,
UK recycling grows, investment follows and the environmental and economic benefits build year after year”.
The report recommends raising the plastic packaging tax — currently applied to producers that use less than 30% recycled material — to 50%, alongside a full phase-out of exports of unprocessed plastic packaging waste.
Sources: The Guardian– Hybrid Economics
