Recycling benefit

Amount recycled
49,257t
CO2 avoided
26,402t
Estimated disposal saving
£5,565,988
Reported as exported
17%

Plastic constitutes one of the most widely used materials in the UK and, as such, is one of the biggest contributors to the country’s waste. Around 275,000 tonnes of plastic is used every year in the UK, including 7.7 billion single-use plastic bottles. Much of this plastic ends up on our streets or in our rivers.

Since plastic is non-biodegradable, it is important to recycle it properly to prevent it ending up in the environment. However, only about one third of household plastic packaging is currently recycled, with most households throwing away at least 40kg of plastic every year.

Recycling plastic can be tricky, as all the plastics collected for recycling need to be sorted into different groups depending on which polymers they contain. If polymers are mixed together when the plastic is shredded and melted during the recycling process, they will weaken the recycled product.

Furthermore, there is often confusion about which types of plastic can be recycled. You should always check the label on the product packaging or your local authority’s website to find out.

You can learn more about how to recycle plastic bottles and plastic pots, tubs and trays on the Wales Recycles website.


Recycling process

Bottles, Pots, Tubs & Trays
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Plastics are separated from other materials

Plastics are separated from other materials, if necessary

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Plastic sorted by type and by colour

They’re sorted by plastic type and by colour – blue, green, natural and mixed

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Cleaned, shredded, washed, melted and reformed into ‘pellets’

They’re cleaned, shredded, washed, melted and reformed into ‘pellets’

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Pellets are used to create new items

These pellets are used to create new items, including:

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Pellets are used to create new items like clothes, toys, picnic benches, bottles, tubs and trays
  • clothes
  • toys
  • picnic benches
  • bottles
  • pots
  • tubs
  • trays
  • ... and more
Recycling process - Plastic

Where does plastic recycling go?

Top countries (selected materials) - 2023/24

Top UK recycling destinations

Country Tonnes
England 36,886t
Wales 3,775t
Northern Ireland 188t
Scotland 2t
Company Country Tonnes
Jayplas England 14,946t
Biffa Polymers Ltd England 3,418t
Van Werven UK Ltd England 3,407t
Monoworld Recycling Ltd England 3,115t
Roydon Group Plc England 2,244t
CHP Midlands Ltd England 2,152t
Roydon Polymers Wales 1,010t
Biffa Waste Services Limited England 1,003t
AWD Group Wales 750t
Imerplast (previously Regain Polymers Ltd) England 682t
Axion Polymers Ltd England 682t
unspecified England 654t

Top world recycling destinations

Company Country Tonnes
Limerick Polymers Production Ireland 2,846t
Trans Sabater SA Spain 1,711t
Kras Recycling Netherlands 710t
Pinaroz Plastik Turkey 520t
unspecified unspecified 477t
Clear Pet Spain 291t
unspecified Spain 284t
Hung Phu Plastic Investment Vietnam 186t
RE Plano Gmbh Germany 152t
Schenk Recycling Netherlands 150t
unspecified Netherlands 125t
Veolia Netherlands 111t