The British Plastics Federation (BPF) is holding a seminar to investigate the future of plastics recycling the UK and what impacts Brexit and the new Chinese recycling rules will have on the local industry.

The seminar, dubbed ‘recycling the unrecyclable’ will be held 23 Nov, at Wesley Hotel near London Euston station, and will provide recyclers with a forum to explore the threats and opportunities that the recycling sector can expect in the coming years.

A major part of the event will be a panel debate examining the impact of the new Chinese rules on UK’s recycling businesses.

The panel debate will feature industry experts Deborah Sacks from the Department for International Trade, Bernard Chase of WRAP and Stuart Foster from RECOUP. 

China announced 18 July that it would ban imports of scrap plastics and other "foreign garbage" recyclables by the end of the year.

“The plastics recycling sector is currently faced with many challenges but also greater opportunities,” said Bernard Chase of WRAP.

These, he added, included a combination of increasing concern over plastics in the marine environment coupled with China’s proposed ban on certain grades of plastic packaging waste.

The paradigm shift, according to Chase, offer UK plastics recyclers “a unique and lasting opportunity” to re-occupy the recycling scene.

The seminar will also feature presentations on innovative new techniques.