§ Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the total quantities of glass, paper and plastics presently recycled in the United Kingdom; and what is the current market demand for such recycled material. [HL2252]
§ Lord WhittyThe latest data held by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs indicate that 407,000 tonnes of glass, 4,711,700 tonnes of paper and board and 141,000 tonnes of plastics are recycled per annum. These figures include paper and board imports for recycling of 57,300 tonnes but do not include glass exports of 69,000 tonnes and paper and board exports of 402,300 tonnes.
However, we still use very significant quantities of virgin paper, glass and plastic. There is therefore great potential, dependent on market conditions, for increasing the amount of these materials that the UK recycles.
The Government have established the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), with £40 million of government funding from 2001 to 2004, to help create stable and efficient markets for recycled materials and products.