Waste Materials (Recycling)

HC Deb 05 April 1974 vol 871 cc469-71W

Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the quantity of packaging material sold weekly in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of this is salvaged for recycling.

Mr. Meacher

Quarterly statistics of manufacturers' sales of packaging products are published in the Business Monitor Series (No. PQ 480) issued by the Government Statistical Service. No comparable separate figures for the recycling of packaging materials are available.

Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the number of tin cans sold weekly in the United Kingdom; and how many of these are salvaged for recycling.

Mr. Meacher

It has been estimated that about 210 million food and beverage cans are sold to the public in this country every week. The weight of used cans, including cans used for other purposes than food and beverages, disposed of in refuse collected by local authorities is estimated at about 900,000 tons a year of which 150,000 tons is recovered and returned to the iron and steel industry for reuse.

Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the number and total weight of metal milk bottle tops used weekly in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of these is salvaged for recycling.

Mr. Meacher

I understand that about 220 million aluminium milk bottle tops are used weekly in the United Kingdom. I have insufficient information to enable me to estimate reliably the weight of metal in these tops or the proportion salvaged for recycling.

Mr. Onslow

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the quantity of newsprint sold weekly in the United Kingdom; and what proportion of this is salvaged for recycling.

Mr. Meacher

The average weekly consumption of newsprint in the United Kingdom in 1973 was just under 31,000 metric tons. Precise estimates of the proportion recycled are not available. However, the average weekly recovery in 1973 of grade 5 waste paper, which is predominantly composed of newsprint, was about 3,800 metric tons. In addition a further substantial but unquantifiable amount was recycled when mixed with other types of paper.