WRAP invites tenders for mixed plastic trials

WRAP is to conduct a trial to find out whether mixed plastics recycling is commercially sustainable in the UK. The trial will build on recent research that established the technical, economic and environmental feasibility of recycling mixed plastics packaging.

The results of this previous research showed that the best environmental option is to invest in integrated plants capable of producing high-quality recycled plastics combined with solid recovered fuel (SRF) technology for what is left and cannot be recycled. WRAP's aim is to develop at least 40,000 tonnes a year mixed plastics recycling capacity in the UK by 2011.

According to WRAP, a commercially viable solution is vital in order to process the anticipated increase in mixed plastics waste collected from households and support the development of sustainable end markets. The trial has been divided into three parts and organisations can tender for individual parts, or all three.

Due to start in September, the project will focus on:

•  A Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) processing trial looking at effective mixed plastic sorting processes

•  A commercial-scale recycling trial and management of what remains and cannot be recycled

• Carrying out a detailed economic assessment to evaluate the commercial sustainability of mixed plastics recycling

The results and data from the trial will be used to develop interest in further investment into MRFs, as well as mixed plastics recycling in the UK.