Call to extend plastics recycling

Mixed plastics are often left behind after other waste is recycled

Mixed plastic items such as salad bags and yoghurt pots can be recycled cost effectively, the government's waste watchdog has said.

The Waste Recycling and Action Programme (Wrap) has published research it says proves for the first time the efficiency of this type of recycling.

They say recycling these types of materials would save £200m every year in landfill taxes and manufacturing.

Wrap has called for investment in the appropriate recycling facilities.

The Wrap researchers say the first factory in the world to recycle milk containers, which are made of a different sort of plastic, will open in Dagenham in London later this month.

'Millions saved'

They say this is proof that this next generation plastic recycling is a commercially viable prospect in the UK.

Until now many councils have concentrated on certain types of plastic - accepting bottles but shunning other items because of the way they are made.

Currently, plastic packaging is made from mixed materials - such as cling film, ready meal cartons and yoghurt pots - that are left behind after all other recyclable household waste has been dealt with.

This type of packaging accounts for 45 billion items of waste a year, said the BBC's environment correspondent, Sarah Mukherjee.

The Wrap researchers say increased recycling of mixed-plastic packaging could reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by nearly 1.5m tonnes.

Wrap said local authorities have so far been loath to collect these types of items because there are no recycling facilities currently available.

They said this has led to a vicious circle with companies not investing in the right facilities because there wasn't enough material to recycle.