European Union recycling targets are being opposed by the UK government , despite the launch of a 25-year environment plan by prime minister Theresa May earlier this month , according to confidential documents obtained by Greenpeace and seen by The Guardian . The internal presentation from Defra said the UK could meet a 55% target with the existing recycling system, but that “very high targets would likely require significant changes to households’ behaviour and businesses operations”. The documents show that the government opposed a target to recycle 65 % of urban waste by 2035 which was agreed by the local council and parliament in December . Documents from an internal presentation by UK environment officials last year , also obtained by Greenpeace , suggest that a 65 % recycling target by 2030 could save nearly £ billion ( $ 14bn ) over a decade .
European Union recycling targets are being opposed by the UK government , despite the launch of a 25-year environment plan by prime minister Theresa May earlier this month , according to confidential documents obtained by Greenpeace and seen by The Guardian . The documents show that the government opposed a target to recycle 65 % of urban waste by 2035 which was agreed by the local council and parliament in December . Documents from an internal presentation by UK environment officials last year , also obtained by Greenpeace , suggest that a 65 % recycling target by 2030 could save nearly £ billion ( $ 14bn ) over a decade .