WRAP expands ‘problem plastics’ list to advance UK circular economy

UK – The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has updated its “Elimination List of Problem Plastics,” introducing new materials targeted for phase-out beyond the 2025 UK Plastics Pact deadline.

This move aligns with England’s Simpler Recycling reform and aims to accelerate the transition toward a circular economy by eliminating complex and hard-to-recycle plastic formats such as multimaterial sachets and PET trays with PE liners.

The Simpler Recycling initiative is designed to streamline waste collection across businesses and non-domestic premises, while the UK Plastics Pact sets ambitious targets: eliminating unnecessary plastics, ensuring all plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable, and achieving a 70% effective recycling rate with an average of 30% recycled content in plastic packaging.

WRAP and its pact members are leveraging a list-based approach to identify and prioritize plastic formats that hinder circularity.

The revised list reflects the latest technological advancements and evidence-based assessments of recyclability and material impact.

Phasing out complex formats

Among the newly added materials to be phased out by the end of 2025 are non-near-infrared (NIR) detectable plastics, silicone components, plastic-containing wet wipes, PET trays with PE liners, and disposable vapes.

Flexible, non-compatible multi-material plastic packaging—used in products such as crisps, pet food, sweets, snack bars, and grated cheese—should also be replaced by mono-material polyolefins within this timeframe.

By 2027, the transition extends to packaging formats used for block cheese, cooked meat, long-life bread, tea, coffee, and microwavable pouches for baby food and grains.

Additionally, plastic packaging incorporating glass or metal components must be eliminated by the same deadline.

“Phasing out the next wave of problematic plastic items is a bold step—and not without challenges,” said Adam Herriott, Senior Plastics Specialist at WRAP.

“Unlike earlier items like straws and stirrers, many of the new formats serve essential functions like preserving shelf life or enabling affordability. The transition, therefore, requires more than just a material swap.”

WRAP emphasizes that now is the time to design all plastic packaging with recyclability in mind. The elimination list targets formats that are either non-recyclable at the point of collection or degrade the quality of recycled material.

“Action Groups have been formed to drive innovation, trial new solutions, and support cross-sector collaboration,” Herriott added.

“We’ve also staggered the phase-out deadlines—2025 for items with readily available alternatives and 2027 for more complex formats—to balance ambition with practicality.”

Proven impact and ongoing collaboration

Since its launch in 2018, the UK Plastics Pact has driven substantial progress. Pact members have collectively removed or redesigned 33 billion problematic plastic items and reduced household PS and PVC packaging by 57%.

Herriott attributes this success to three core factors: clear guidance, collaborative action, and supportive policy.

“The pact provided businesses with a shared roadmap and timeline, enabling alignment across supply chains. Industry collaboration has been a game-changer—bringing together retailers, brands, and manufacturers to co-create practical solutions. And targeted legislation has accelerated adoption in many cases.”

Crucially, he noted, the focus isn’t just on removing materials—it’s about replacing them with scalable, sustainable alternatives or designing out the need for packaging altogether.

“This combination of clarity, collaboration, policy, and innovation is what’s driving meaningful change,” Herriott concluded.

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