The days of recycling being a controversial issue are thankfully long gone, and it is fair to say that we all now have an expectation of our governments to treat environmental issues with the utmost seriousness. To date, the recycling industry has been helping us improve the way we treat our planet, but we should remember that it is an industry like any other, and also subject to fluctuations. Unfortunately, the plastic recycling industry seems to have hit a trough at the present time, with economists judging it to be stagnating at 50 per cent productivity.
The industry body Plastics Recyclers Europe (EuPR) claim that the recycling of polyethylene terephthalate, otherwise known as PET, is in serious trouble. Apparently, collection systems have reached their capacity and are unable to keep up with demand, meaning that a 50 per cent excess of PET items have to be sent to landfill sites or incinerated. The situation is now being termed a ‘market failure’ by industry bodies, with some claiming that recycling plants are operating at 75 per cent below capacity.
The problem highlights the need for the EU to get a grip on the issue, and fast. The failure of recycling as the core of trade in PET actually means the failure of sustainability in this field, and international trade is fast becoming a replacement for recycling. The EuPR place blame on increased recycling costs for PET, due to the advent of lighter and more elaborate bottle designs. Now, the only solution is to address international trade duties on the import of virgin PET from Asian countries. Otherwise, the market ‘imbalance’ will never correct itself, according to the EuPR.
Consequently, EU import duties on PET from ASEAN countries are currently under review; their 5 year set rates of 2007 having recently expired. The EuPR is strongly calling for protection for the recycling industry, meaning that a higher duty should be levied to protect it. Currently, there is no blanket import duty, and tariffs vary across the world. It now seems a crucial matter that duties are maintained and even increased or the balance between recycling and manufacture will never be redressed. PET recycling has previously been a great advert for the possibility of continent-wide sustainable development, and it is clearly essential to the wellbeing of our nations that this continues. It is to be hoped that the right amount of economic protection will ensure Europe’s wellness and sustainability for future generations.
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