Uncaptured Unrecycled Plastics Project - UP

The 'Uncaptured Unrecycled Plastics (UP)' project will establish and operate a commercial-scale demonstration facility for the recovery, sorting and recycling of post-consumer plastic packaging from mixed waste streams. The focus is on the themes of (i) sustainable solutions for films and flexibles; and (ii) solutions for problematic plastic packaging.

Mixed residual waste streams such as MSW (mixed residual), MRF-rejects (waste sorting rejects), and on-the-go/food retail outlet wastes are currently incinerated, landfilled, exported or used as RDF (Refuse Derived Fuel). In these streams plastic packaging is mixed with other types of packaging (glass, metal, paper, cardboard) and food waste which makes it uncaptured, unrecyclable and outside of the current plastic recycling infrastructure.

The proposed demonstrator will use key innovative technologies developed by Fiberight Ltd and Impact Recycling to maximise the recovery of post-consumer plastic packaging, from mixed waste, for use in onward mechanical and chemical recycling applications. Demand-led innovation will be used to ensure the plastic materials recovered are of a high-specification as required by recycling or manufacturing stakeholders.

UP will engage with the entire plastics packaging and recycling supply chain, with feedstock suppliers, recyclers, off-takers and end-users all committed to providing the resources and time required to prove the UP concept.

Both Fiberight and Impact have developed water-based materials segregation technologies, thus, UP provides a unique opportunity to showcase a vertically integrated solution containing a closed water and energy loop. The demonstrator will condense several steps of the plastics processing supply chain onto one site; proving significant economic and environmental benefits for plastics recovery and recycling.

The UP project will contribute to several UK Plastics Pact targets; (i) 100% plastic packaging to be recyclable; (ii) 70% plastic packaging effectively recycled; and (iii) 30% recycled content by providing new sources of feedstock for recycling processes. The output of the demonstrator will lead to a 70% increase in the flexible plastic recyclate available for UK manufacturers.

This project will demonstrate a highly disruptive, innovative technology whilst also showcasing significant industry engagement, impact and exploitation potential. **The only way is UP!**