When you toss plastic packaging into your recycling bin, it might surprise you that most of it won’t be recycled in the UK. A significant amount of British plastic waste is shipped abroad, where some is recycled, but much of it travels around the globe before being burned or dumped, according to Greenpeace. Despite public perception, only 12% of plastic in Britain is recycled, with the nation discarding 100 billion plastic items annually. Large amounts of plastic waste end up in landfills, incinerators, or abroad under the label of ‘recycling’.
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Turkey remains the leading destination for British plastic waste, receiving 151 million kilograms in 2024, up from 141 million the previous year. Other common destinations include the Netherlands, Poland, and Vietnam. According to the Basel Action Network, British plastic exports totalled 598 million kilos in 2024. However, some of this waste is re-exported outside Europe, often to countries with inadequate waste management systems, such as Malaysia.
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The issue with shipping waste abroad is that, while some of it is recycled, much of it is simply dumped or burned. Greenpeace and other NGOs have documented plastic waste polluting the environment in countries like Turkey. Despite efforts to regulate, the UK government has yet to impose a ban on plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries, though the EU is working towards a similar policy. Campaigners argue that without stricter measures, Britain’s plastic waste will continue to cause environmental harm abroad.
