Britain could keep all its plastic waste within its borders by 2030. This could happen by adding more than 5,400 jobs to the recycling sector while taking responsibility for the pollution its overseas shipments currently dump on other countries, reported the Guardian.
A study by Hybrid Economics showed this shift would support building up to 15 new recycling facilities nationwide.
Private investors would contribute over £800 million (over $1 billion) to this buildout. This would add nearly £900 million (almost $1.2 billion) in yearly economic activity. It would also deliver at least £100 million (over $131 million) in annual tax payments.
These projections arrive as Britain's overseas plastic shipments climbed 5% in 2024 to roughly 600,000 tonnes (about 661,000 tons). Nations accepting this material often lack the means to recycle it. They're forcing them to deal with the consequences of contamination while Britain exports materials that domestic recyclers could use.
Britain currently recycles just half of what its facilities can accommodate. Sending raw plastic overseas costs companies less than processing it domestically. Indonesia, already facing serious contamination challenges, received upwards of 24,000 tonnes (over 26,000 tons) from Britain in the opening months of 2025.
The study argued that these shipments allow Britain to avoid handling what it discards while forgoing business opportunities. In the last 24 months, 21 recycling operations in Britain shut their doors. Growing export levels, cheap fresh plastic, and bargain-priced products arriving from Asia all contributed to the shutdowns.
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"Ending exports of unprocessed plastic packaging waste by 2030 would allow the UK to take control of its environmental responsibilities and seize a clear economic opportunity," said Neville Hill, a partner at Hybrid Economics. "Our analysis shows the sector can expand significantly with no call on public funds, provided government sets the right framework."
The study recommended raising requirements. Producers would have to include 50% recycled content instead of 30% and eliminate all shipments of raw plastic packaging.
"When the right conditions are in place, U.K. recycling grows, investment follows and the environmental and economic benefits build year after year," said James McLeary, managing director of Biffa Polymers, which commissioned the study. "The U.K. can replicate that success across all plastic packaging and take responsibility for processing its own waste onshore."
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