[
Councils are being hit hard by the rising cost of recycling, with some saying
they paid around £500,000 more over the past year.
The main reason is a decision by China to restrict
imports of mixed paper and certain types of plastic.
Much of the UK's recycling was previously sent to China and since
the restrictions came in at the beginning of the year,
councils have been forced to find other options.
But those options are dwindling fast - Malaysia has imposed a three-month ban
on importing scrap plastic and Vietnam is considering a similar move.]
https://news.sky.com/story/thousands...world-11218595
There are some parts of the UK
that burn all this plastic
to make fuel.
That must increase
there is no other way.
[
Why did China want our old plastic?
China had been importing millions of tons of plastic rubbish
every year to make the toys, mats, and parts
that it sells back to the rest of the world.
Britain has become heavily dependent on that appetite,
sending two thirds of its plastic scrap exports to China.
But all sorts of other rubbish was mixed in with it.
So in July last year the Chinese government announced it would ban imports
of the world's plastics from January 2018 - under a programme called national sword.]
https://news.sky.com/story/thousands...world-11218595