Half of binned plastic pots may be sent to incinerator

MILLIONS of plastic pots, tubs and trays which families place in recycling bins are being incinerated because there are not enough facilities to process them, it emerged yesterday.

The plastic is collected from homes on the basis it will be recycled and turned into new products, but it is actually being burned to generate electricity.

More than half of the pots, tubs and trays people ‘diligently put in recycling bins’ could be going to incinerators, a source told the Times. The problem stems from the fact the UK does not have enough specialist plastic recycling plants and the country is no longer able to send waste to China for processing after a ban was imposed last year.

The incinerators are responsible for air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, which are within legal limits. However, the 36 incinerators in England produce the same amount of toxic ‘particulates’ as 250,000 lorries, according to campaigners. Most plastic trays used for meat, fruit and other food are made from a substance called PET, which is so brittle that it has to be sent to specialist recycling facilities.

Recoup, a plastic recycling charity, said local councils admit they are incinerating low-grade plastic. Julian Kirby, of Friends of the Earth, said: ‘Burning pots and packaging contributes to the climate emergency as well as trashing trust in the recycling industry.’

nPlastic- free fruit and veg areas are to open in 60 Morrisons stores this year.

The move follows trials which found a 40 per cent increase in sales of fresh produce when it was sold loose rather than wrapped in plastic.