Why the UK could face millions of pounds in EU recycling fines Pete Dickson, commercial director of Biffa, said: "Possible reasons for the stalling of England's recycling rate include consumers buying less packaged goods and therefore recyclables, downsizing in actual packaging, a move from glass to plastic containers [and] less paper consumption because of technology." Recycling rates are measured by weight. That means if a household cuts down on paper and packaging waste and switches from heavy glass to lighter plastic, their recycling rate will fall - even though they are not throwing any more rubbish away in black bags. Philip Davies MP said: "This is the ludicrous situation you get yourself in when you set arbitrary targets: you don't take into account people's changing behaviours. It seems to me it would be completely idiotic if we were to be fined for being a victim of our own success. Radical measures such as "skinny" wheelie bins to physically limit black bag waste, or council tax discounts for high recycling rates, may be needed if the UK wants to hit the targets, David Palmer-Jones, head of recycling firm SITA UK said. On current English rates, "the UK will more than likely miss its EU target of a 50 per cent household recycling rate by 2020," he said. But Mr Palmer-Jones said a cutback in paper and packaging alone did not explain England's low recycling rates, pointing to rates well above 50 per cent in Wales and blaming local authority budget cuts in England that had led to less effort going into recycling initiatives. Consumption habits are no different in England over the Severn in Wales but for Welsh local authorities hitting targets is mandatory not an option. Food collection is already mandatory in Wales, unlike in England, and that helps drives up recycling rates," he said. A Government spokesman said: "We remain committed to recycling 50 per cent of our household waste by 2020 and continue to support local authorities" efforts to promote recycling."