Increasing recycling rates of municipal waste and plastic packaging

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The Commission recommends that government should set a target for recycling 65 per cent of municipal waste and 75 per cent of plastic packaging by 2030. Government should set individual targets for all local authorities and provide financial support for transitional costs. The government should establish:

  • Separate food waste collection for households and businesses (to enable production of biogas) by 2025.
  • Clear two symbol labelling (recyclable or not recyclable) across the UK by 2022.
  • A consistent national standard of recycling for households and businesses by 2025.
  • Restrictions on the use of hard-to-recycle plastic packaging (PVC and polystyrene) by 2025.
  • Incentives to reduce packaging and for product design that is more easily recyclable by 2022.
  • A common data reporting framework for businesses handling commercial and industrial waste by the end of 2019, ideally through voluntary reporting but if necessary by legislation.

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