The SSPP Challenge has revealed that its work has boosted UK plastics recycling infrastructure.
It has also enabled potential carbon dioxide equivalent savings of more than 1.5 million tonnes between 2025 and 2030 as its funded projects have come online and reached commercial scale operation.
The challenge is delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
The contribution of the £60 million challenge to driving plastic packaging circularity and sustainability was detailed in a report launched at a showcase event in London last week, celebrating its successful completion.
Its aim has been to drive cleaner growth across the UK’s plastics, packaging and retail supply chains, through its portfolio of over 80 funded projects.
Reducing plastic pollution
SSPP has been focused on:
- driving a reduction in single-use plastic packaging
- supporting the scale up of reuse and refill
- increasing recycling
- reducing plastic pollution
As the challenge completes, it has also revealed it has successfully:
- leveraged committed co-investment so far of circa £274 million for innovative packaging solutions
- supported new domestic recycling infrastructure that has boosted UK-wide and regional growth and jobs
- brought together nearly 400 organisations across academia, industry, and the third sector to develop innovative recycling technologies, reuse and refill systems, and more
Challenging the impossible
Delivering the keynote address, Professor Margaret Bates, CEO of the recently launched UK packaging extended producer responsibility scheme administrator, PackUK, for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, said:
In line with the government’s commitment to work with industry to stimulate economic growth, SSPP has harnessed the willingness of retailers, brands and the plastic packaging supply chain to engage and invest in innovation that supports resource efficiency and clean growth.
It has attracted £274 million of co-investment to date, delivered new infrastructure on the ground in the UK, and challenged the art of the possible and the investible.
Unlocking potential innovation
SSPP has supported world-first innovations. This includes Mura Technology’s advanced recycling facility in Teesside that can recycle post-consumer plastic packaging, including ‘hard-to-recycle’ formats such as flexibles and multi-layered films, into circular hydrocarbons for use in the manufacturing of new plastic.
Dr Geoff Brighty, Head of Sustainability for Mura, said:
The SSPP funding has been a huge support. Not only has it enabled us to move forward rapidly with the construction of our plant, engineering procurement and project management, but it has also helped de-risk the project and attract other investors.
More than that, it has brought about collaboration with new stakeholders, including the Warwick Manufacturing Group at the University of Warwick, whilst helping to raise awareness of our operation and this developing chemical processing sector to regulators. Strategically, that’s been massive for us.
Celebrating years of success
Dr Paul Davidson, Director of the SSPP Challenge, said:
Now that the challenge has reached completion, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate the enormous success of the challenge and the projects we have funded.
There are still significant challenges ahead for the plastic packaging sector, but the progress that has been made through SSPP is a testament to the remarkable momentum behind plastic packaging innovation.
The projects SSPP has supported are changing the plastic packaging landscape and making a real contribution to the UK’s clean growth agenda.
For further information about the SSPP Challenge, visit Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging on Business Connect.