Liz Gyekye / PackagingNews

Paper and aluminium recycling figures increase despite market fears

Paper/board and aluminium packaging reprocessing figures are up by 6.3% and 11% respectively in the third quarter of this year, according to interim figures released by the Environment Agency.

In a statement, The Environment Exchange (t2e) said that Q3 figures remain “resolute” despite ongoing fears of a double-dip recession.

The National Packaging Waste Database’s PRN/PERN figures show that 1,809,891 tonnes of packaging was processed in Q3 of this year. In comparison, 1,836,168 tonnes of packaging was processed in Q2.

A drop compared to Q2 production was found across steel (down 13%), wood (down from 2,750t to 962t), plastic (down 3%), and glass (down 0.1%).

Meanwhile, aluminium achieved the highest quarterly figure on record for the material at 20,249 tonnes processed, which is 29% more than what the industry is required to process per quarter.

There was 824,374 tonnes of paper processed (more than what the industry is required to process for the quarter). This figure was also the second highest quarter on record.

The Environment Exchange (t2e) senior market operator Tom Rickerby said: “Set to a backdrop of high volatility in the financial and commodities markets, the Q3 figures show recycling and export rates seem to have remained resolute.

“There is little evidence of the reported slow down in the export markets with paper and aluminium showing good quarter-on-quarter growth.

“Steel, plastic and glass remain stable, with only wood showing a significant fall. The latter can be put down to growth in the biomass markets and the continued impact of the fire at the Sonae chipboard plant in Knowsley.”

T2e also said that buyers should be able to benefit from falling prices “as we head into the ‘business end’ of the compliance year”.