Take recycling out of party politics - that’s the message from Closed Loop Recycling managing director Chris Dow and a number of other leading UK recyclers and MPs as the deadline nears for the Defra consultation on recycling and recovery targets for packaging waste.

The government favours the option of setting higher statutory targets for various waste streams in order to support the market and drive behaviour change. Chris Dow is supporting the suggested mandatory target of 57%, but in addition is calling for cross party consensus in order to create a stable, long term market for recycling and provide investors and brands with long term confidence.

“The consultation presents an exciting opportunity for our industry to work together to create a leading edge position, in order to grow the market, create thousands of green jobs and establish the UK as one of the leading sustainable packaging producers in the world. However, as a valuable manufacturing sector set for growth, the recycling industry should be the focus of cross party support in order to maintain stability for the future,” explains Chris Dow.

“The 2011 Waste Review set the direction of travel for packaging policy and therefore the future of the whole industry. We whole-heartedly support the government’s preferred option of a plastics recycling target of 57% as we believe it is achievable, good for the environment, gives manufacturers confidence and will ensure the current MRF sorting capacity will be fully utilised. One area that also needs to be reviewed is the current PRN system, which currently incentivises the export of material and jobs to the detriment of the UK recycling and reprocessing industry.”

Chris Dow has written to MPs in each party suggesting a cross party consensus on the issue. Labour MP Alan Whitehead commented: “The Government has the opportunity to create a world-leading packaging and recycling industry and I would back the call for all parties to work together to ensure legislation which affects this sector supports the development of this valuable industry.”