Written question asked by Simon Thomas (Plaid Cymru) on Wednesday, 17 January 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 26 January 2001. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Friday, 26 January 2001 on behalf of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Dept of the Environment Transport and the Regions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, what proportion of waste from plastics has been recycled in each of the last five years for which figures are available. - Inc table.

Answer: Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of waste from plastics has been recycled in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [146470] Mr. Robert Ainsworth: The British Plastics Federation has provided the estimates for the UK. They include packaging and non-packaging waste and, in the total figure, an estimated 425,000 tonnes of recycled pre-consumer plastic waste each year. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 Amount of plastic waste 3.00 2.94 2.88 2.83 2.77 produced (tonnes million) Post consumer recycling 238 218 145 121 115 (tonnes thousand) Post consumer recycling 7.9 7.4 5.0 4.3 4.2 (per cent.) Total plastic waste 663 643 570 546.5 540.5 recycled (tonnes thousand) Combined recycling (per 22.1 21.9 19.8 19.3 19.5 cent.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information