Recoup hosts inaugural Recoup Summit

The UK’s leading independent authority on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, Recoup, has organized its inaugural Recoup Summit, sponsored by Wrap and Ecosurety. The summit, held in Leeds, reconfirmed the need for more innovation and collaboration with industry and government support to ensure a plastic circular economy. Focused on technological developments that will drive improvements in plastics recycling and resource efficiency value chains, the event hosted attendees from across the plastics value chain and featured an exciting line-up of speakers.

The event kicked off with a focused session on advanced recycling technologies, where speakers, including Geoff Brighty from Mura Technology,  Emmeline Aves of ReVentas, and Sam Pine from Greyparrot, shared tangible examples of innovation transforming the sector and facilitating the circular economy. Talking about various alternatives, including low carbon dissolution recycling, scalable chemical recycling approaches and AI-based waste intelligence tools, their message was clear: technology is available now – but its deployment depends on supportive infrastructure, policy alignment, and commercial investment.

Another session zeroed in on food contact packaging, exploring how innovation enhances recycled content in high-end applications. Speakers for this session included Jeremy Blake from Amcor, David Bargery from Regis Machinery, and Paul Marshall from Nextek, who highlighted the industry’s regulatory, legislative and cost hurdles. The session honed in on options for producing food-grade recycled polypropylene (PP), removing contaminants from recycled materials and alternatives for converting films back into food-grade material. This session made it clear that with the right technologies and collaborative effort, existing barriers can be broken down, taking higher levels of food contact recycled content from aspiration to reality.

In the final breakout session, the conversation turned to the role of data in the circular economy  – its power, gaps, and role in delivering a truly circular economy. Sophie Walker from Dsposal, Rachel Warren from Re-universe, and Will Addy from Polytag highlighted the need for good data, stressing how upcoming legislation and new targets require data from the sector to benchmark delivery and progress. It was apparent throughout the session that inefficient data gathering systems and inaccurate data can hamper progress; however, with effective and accurate data, we can make better and more informed choices that play a massive role in delivering a circular economy for plastics and packaging materials.

The day culminated in a dynamic, collaborative session led by Robbie Staniforth (Ecosurety), where panelists included Liz Wildman (Mars), Steve Walsh (Tomra), James Donaldson (Sociology), Angela Doyle (Robinson Packaging), and Paul Mayhew (MBA Polymers). The panel tackled some of the sector’s thorniest issues: infrastructure gaps, technical limitations, greenwashing, and the reality of consumer engagement. The panel called for smarter packaging design, investment into system resilience, and the need to make recycled plastics commercially viable. However, it was also noted that real progress requires more than individual action, reinforcing the importance of joined-up action across industry, government and innovators, backed by clear policy signals, targeted funding and infrastructure investment. The panelists noted that if everyone united to bridge gaps and technical challenges across industries, they could allow the circular plastic economy to flourish.  

The Recoup Summit underscored the critical need for aligned innovation, policy and investment to drive meaningful progress in plastics recycling and the circular economy. By bringing together voices across the value chain, the event highlighted current challenges and showcased tangible alternatives already shaping the future. As collaboration deepens between stakeholders, and with continued support from government and industry alike, a truly circular and sustainable system for plastics can soon be realized.