Plastic recycling initiatives are doing little for the environment, according to a report published on Wednesday.

The CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Analysis has analysed the effects of Dutch recycling processes, and concludes they result in low-grade plastic with limited uses, saving the country just 0.15% in equivalent carbon emissions.

Some materials like films – it adds – are simply burned, as they aren’t suitable to recycle.

So, says the report ‘The plastics circular economy: from raw material to waste’, local areas should spend more on processes to select better quality plastic for reprocessing.

More plastic than fish

There is international concern about the increasing use of plastic and pollution, particularly in the water chain. By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean, according to a recent report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.

The Dutch research, commissioned by the infrastructure, environment and finance ministries, suggests that the material now makes up 90% of packaging, and when people area charged for their waste, many put it in the compost.

But even bioplastics, made from things other than oil, generally don’t break down naturally.

‘Recycling is not a solution to litter and the plastic soup,’ the report adds.

Key time

The report suggests more international rules limiting the use of the material in things like cosmetics, better filtering of groundwater, and a more extensive deposit system so customers return packaging to stores.

It echoes concerns expressed by environment agencies and waste firms in recent months that the ‘Plastic Heroes’ recycling system – which reportedly costs €150 million a year – is anything but heroic.

The report comes at a key time when a new coalition is trying to finalise its manifesto, with major differences on the environment between the four parties involved.