Plastics recycler calls for VAT exemption on recycled plastics

MBA Polymers has called on the Government to suspend VAT on recycled plastics to help stimulate consumer demand and encourage investment in the UK’s plastics recycling industry.

The call was made at a presentation at an event in Westminster entitled ‘The future of recycling –The challenge for plastics’. Around 100 politicians, environmental groups and major plastics-users attended the presentation.

MBA Polymers Chief Executive, Nigel Hunton ststaed that in order to attain a level playing field for UK recycling, the market should be incentivised with legislation designed to encourage post-consumer recycled plastics content in new products, such as exemption or a reduced rate of VAT. He also stated that additional changes, including the auditing of ‘downstream’ overseas plastic waste processors, similar to domestic processors, would result in a “win-win-win for society, the environment and recycled plastics businesses in the UK.”

“The UK can become a world leader in this sector,” Hunton said, “but we can only do that by changing some of our approach. Recycled plastics are a resource - not a waste product. There is the potential for major environmental and economic benefit such as attracting new jobs and investment to the UK, reducing our dependence on foreign oil and providing a competitive advantage for the UK through ‘green marketing’ and innovative technology.”

The other speakers at the event were the Director of Cambridge University’s Programme for Sustainability Leadership, Polly Courtice, who spoke of the importance of business action in relation to sustainability and Dr Mike Biddle, MBA’s Founder and President.

Biddle spoke about the global challenge of ‘closing-the-loop’. “In comparison with nature’s eco-cycle in which waste products are of value in new processes, society’s mostly one-way use of plastics is unsustainable”, he explained.