UK Plastics Pact: WRAP Extends List of Non-Compliant Plastic Materials

Eight more plastic products are set for the chopping block as WRAP ramps up its war on waste.

The recycling and sustainability group WRAP has revealed a fresh batch of plastic items it wants gone from shelves, adding eight more culprits to its plastic “elimination list”. This latest update is part of the organisation’s wider effort to reduce plastic pollution across the UK, building on the success of its earlier crackdown that began back in 2018.

The Countdown to 2025: Six Plastics Marked for Early Exit

Six of the newly identified problem plastics are on a fast track to be phased out by the end of 2025. WRAP is urging retailers and manufacturers to transition away from these by finding more sustainable alternatives.

Here’s what’s on the early exit list:

• Black plastic that can’t be detected by recycling scanners (non-NIR detectable)
• Silicone parts in packaging or products
• Layered flexible packaging (like crisp packets or sweet wrappers) that can’t be recycled, which should shift to simpler, single-material alternatives for items such as:

1. 1. Crisps
   2. Pet treats
   3. Confectionery, snack bars, biscuits and cakes
   4. Pouches for dry snacks like nuts and seeds

• Plastic pods for dishwashing and laundry detergents
• Plastic-packaged grated cheese and dried grains
• PET trays lined with polyethylene, typically used for fresh produce
• Wet wipes containing plastic fibres
• Disposable vapes

Looking Ahead to 2027: The Next Wave

Two more categories are on WRAP’s radar for elimination by 2027, giving companies a bit more breathing room to adapt their packaging methods.

These include:

• Hard-to-recycle flexible packaging for:

1. 1. Block cheese
   2. Sliced cooked meats
   3. Long-life and bake-at-home bread
   4. Tea and coffee
   5. Baby food and microwavable pouches

• Packaging made with mixed materials, such as combinations of plastic with glass or metal

Throwback to the Original Offenders

The new items will join WRAP’s original “elimination list” launched in 2018, a campaign that’s already led to significant change in UK packaging. That list, made up of 14 particularly problematic items, included:

• Plastic cutlery, plates, straws, and stirrers
• Plastic-stemmed cotton buds
• Household polystyrene
• PVC packaging and cling film
• Oxo-degradable plastic products
• Wrapping for multi-buy tins and bottles
• Non-compostable fruit stickers and teabags
• Single-use condiment sachets in food service
• Unnecessary packaging on whole, fresh produce – unless proven to help reduce food waste

WRAP notes that early action on this list allowed many brands to stay ahead of upcoming regulations, and has already resulted in billions of plastic items being pulled from circulation.

The Bigger Picture: UK Plastics Pact in Action

All of this forms part of the UK Plastics Pact, a nationwide commitment led by WRAP, with members responsible for around two-thirds of all plastic packaging used by consumers in Britain.

Together, Pact members have already removed an astonishing 33 billion pieces of problematic plastic. The goal? To keep only what’s necessary, recyclable, and reused.

As WRAP’s elimination list continues to grow, it’s clear that the future of packaging in the UK is set to become cleaner, smarter, and far more sustainable.

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