Mo Rassolli

For more than 100 years, plastic has been a part of our lives, and its use has grown at an alarming pace. Plastic products are quite complex and difficult to recycle.

As a result, plastic ends up in our oceans and pollutes our environment. Out of seven types of plastics, two can be recycled, becoming only 9% of the plastic globally.

Table of Contents

Why is there a need to invest in plastic recycling?

The UK has heavily relied on China to recycle its plastic waste. Almost two-thirds of the country’s waste was exported to China, and little was left to recycle. However, in 2018, China changed its policies and banned “foreign garbage” which caused problems for the UK.

After the ban, the British Government started exporting its plastic overseas and incinerated the rest inside the country. However, countries like Malaysia started rejecting these plastic imports due to poor plastic quality. This forced the British Plastic Federation (BPF) to recycle the waste within the country and to start investing in plastic recycling facilities.

How can investors get the benefit?

Businesses in the UK are trying to reduce the scarcity of natural resources through plastic recycling. This makes their business sustainable while reducing input cost.

It also allows them to grow significantly in the years to come. As an investor, you should invest in companies that stood the test of time so it can also benefit you.

Recycling and lesser waste

The public and the UK government are also putting more pressure on companies to manage their supply chain efficiently and mitigate the damage they are causing to the environment.

If the companies devise strategies to evolve their practices, it can provide many more investment opportunities.

Flexible Plastic Packaging

As we have mentioned, only two types of plastics are recyclable that are majorly used in packaging all over the UK. Plastic bags, frozen food bags, and plastic wrappers are the types of flexible plastic packaging.

These are either polypropylene (PP) or polyethene (PE). Both are low-density grade plastic, which is robust and flexible in nature.

£100m Investment needed for plastic recycling

According to a resource recovery specialist, you can recycle flexible plastic packaging, but you need an investment of £100m to make it happen in the UK. As there are inadequate facilities to process the largely-recyclable products, the increase in the UK-stalling recycling rate can benefit the environment and economy.

This investment can be used for two main purposes. Either brand makes their packaging more eco-friendly or establishes factories for PP or PE recycle firms as it is the right time for investors to decide and invest in any of them.

How can TrendScout be helpful?

If you are an enthusiastic person who has a fantastic idea to reduce plastic pollution in the country, you will need investment to make your startup a reality. If you are starting on a small scale, you may not need such a high amount. But for large-scale recycling, you need heavy investment and a solid business plan.

TrendScout is a platform where you can find an investor that can trust your business plan and see your vision. If your idea has the potential, we will connect you to an investor who will be as passionate about your idea as you.

If you are an angel investor willing to work in plastic waste and want to earn, TrendScout is the right platform for you. Our team personally researches the business ideas pitched to us and picks a handful of people that have the potential.

What other clean technology projects need investment?

While plastic waste is one of the biggest problems faced by the UK, some other projects need investment and can be profitable.

A few people invest in projects like these due to various uncertainties. However, in recent years, this business has proved more successful with a lower failure rate.

Sustainable transport

The effects of climate change can be observed all over the globe, and the reason is the emission of harmful gasses from transport. Buses, trains, and cars are used for the daily commute by people, but unfortunately, the gasses they emit are hazardous to the environment.

Thus, it increases the demand for sustainable transport, which is a great investment opportunity for all investors. In coming years, there will be electric vehicles that may run on battery technologies with less or no gas emissions. Therefore, it is clear the business has demand in the market, and it will definitely be successful.

Green House

The concept of a greenhouse is not new, it has been there for a long time, but only a few people have considered investing in the business.

Recently, there has been an interest in offshore wind development in the UK. This kind of technology has been lagging in the country, you can take advantage of the situation and invest in any mega-projects. There are high chances of a profitable business with meagre failure chances.

FAQs

What plastic can not be recycled in the UK?

There are some types of plastic which the UK can’t recycle, including kitchen foils, deodorant aerosols, plastic cups, plastic bottle caps, and many more.

What is the future of plastic recycling?

Most of the plastic recycled in the UK is polyethene terephthalate (PET) used in plastic bottles. Almost 35% of PET bottles are recycled in the UK, and it is estimated that this share will reach up to 60% by 2030.

Why did China stop buying recycling?

In 2018, China banned plastic recycling and stopped buying plastic waste from other countries, including the UK.

They believed the waste they had been receiving from other countries was not clean enough. The waste contains various contaminants that pollute China’s land and water.

Which country in the world recycles the most?

Germany is at the top of recycling solid waste with a 68% recycling ratio.

Where does most of the waste in the UK go?

The most common method of disposal in the UK is landfill. It was estimated that if the government didn’t do much to recycle, there would be a landfill mountain.

All the household, commercial and industrial waste, which makes up 57% of the waste, goes to landfill sites.