Plastics chiefs have called for an increase in council collection of expanded polystyrene (EPS) after a poll showed almost nine in 10 people thought recycling the material was important.
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) said the lightweight substance, often used in packaging and buildings, was regularly sent to landfill.
A YouGov survey carried out earlier this year on behalf of the trade body found that 84 per cent of respondents were unaware the material was recyclable.
Four in five people polled said they were likely to use an EPS recycling service if one was introduced locally.
The BPF this year published a list of places the public can take the material for recycling.
The trade body called for an expansion of the number of sites available for the activity.
BPF EPS Group Chairman Tim Wilson said: “We hope that the insights provided by our survey encourage councils to create and promote more EPS collection centres to establish a steady supply of this material so it can be recycled and reused.
“This would be a win for councils, a win for the EPS industry and a win for the environment.”
