BPF statement in response to 'Forever Toxic' report

In response the recent Greenpeace report Forever Toxic: The science on health threats from plastic recycling the British Plastics Federation (BPF) has published the following statement:

Modern society couldn’t function without plastic and it is also vital to the healthcare sector. As a material, it enriches our lives but once used it needs to be disposed of with care and recycled wherever possible. Reports like this should not discourage people from recycling, as it remains the most desirable outcome for the majority of plastic products at the end of their life.

Tackling plastic pollution through the Global Plastics Treaty is essential but this cannot be done in isolation without considering the impact of other key global environmental issues, the most pressing being climate change. The treaty needs to increase resource efficiency, as well as the circularity of plastic, whilst enabling plastic to continue to play its key role in society. To ensure the best outcomes, improving waste management and expanding recycling needs to be part of the suite of agreements.

Plastic should be used where it offers the best environmental outcome from an LCA perspective or offers a valuable functional benefit that merits its use. Banning the use of plastic in certain applications without considering the impact of the alternatives does not guarantee the best environmental outcome. If the alternative does not fulfil core requirements, this can lead to further waste. In addition, restricting production risks compromising security of supply, especially considering the UK already only produces roughly half of the plastic material required by UK manufacturers.

Reuse is an important part of reaching a more sustainable future but all products will eventually reach the end of their useable life and there needs to be an alternative to landfill and incineration, wherever possible, which requires recycling. It is worth repeating that recycling benefits the environment by reducing the use of fossil fuels and keeping material in functional use for as long as possible.

To ensure public safety there are strict food contact regulations that govern the use of all materials that come into contact with food and an extensive approval process has to be undertaken to achieve food contact status for recycled plastic.

When it comes to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), the Stockholm Convention was adopted in 2001 with the remit to eliminate, restrict, reduce or eliminate POPs to protect human health as well as the environment. 186 parties are involved (185 states and the European Union). The EU has highly detailed Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) legislation, again to protect human health and the environment. It is important to manage risk with hazardous substances for the staff of manufacturers who handle materials as well as the people who buy the final product. REACH policies involve a strict set of safety measures to mitigate and risk and allow safe use.

Taking better care of the environment is hugely important, as is improving the way plastic waste is managed. But plastic is necessary when it comes to reducing global emissions and enhancing the lives – and health – of people around the world, and a vibrant plastic recycling sector is necessary to support that.