Recycling Rate
The percentage of packaging waste that is collected and successfully recycled into new materials. Recycling rates are tracked by material type and nation, informing policy decisions and fee calculations.
The recycling rate measures what proportion of packaging waste placed on the market is successfully recycled. It is a key performance indicator for the UK's packaging waste management system.
Recycling rates are influenced by:
- Collection rates — how much packaging is captured by collection systems
- Sorting efficiency — how well MRFs separate materials
- Reprocessing capacity — availability of UK and overseas recycling facilities
- Contamination — packaging that is too contaminated to recycle
- Packaging design — recyclability of the packaging format
Different materials have very different recycling rates. Paper/card and metals have high rates, while plastic rates are lower. Under pEPR, the financial incentives from modulated fees and improved local authority funding should drive recycling rates higher. The UK publishes official recycling rates annually through the Environment Agency's National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD).
Related Terms
Modulated Fees
Fee adjustments applied on top of base fees that reward recyclable packaging wit...
Recovery Targets
Government-set annual targets for the percentage of each packaging material that...
Recyclability
The practical ability of a packaging item to be collected, sorted, and reprocess...
Materials Recovery Facility
A plant where mixed recyclable materials from household and commercial collectio...
Environment Agency
The environmental regulator for England responsible for enforcing EPR for packag...
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