Latest data on the collection of packaging waste for recycling suggests that targets for 2016 are on course to be met comfortably by the end of the year.

Data published last month on the government’s National Packaging Waste Database website shows that tonnages collected for glass, aluminium, plastic and steel all are currently at levels required to meet targets set earlier in the year.

The latest data set, which covers the July to September period also indicates that enough paper and wood tonnages have been collected throughout the first nine months of the year to meet targets across the year.

Concerns had been raised earlier in the year about the potential for a shortfall in the steel packaging category, caused in part by the closure of some British steel mills in early 2016.

However, this appears to have had little effect on the recovery of packaging waste for recycling – with data showing that collections of the material have remained steady across the first nine months of 2016 with 97,407 tonnes collected in the third quarter. Around 85% of the overall tonnage needed to meet the year’s steel recycling target has now been collected, the data indicates.

Plastics also registered a strong performance throughout the third quarter of the year – with 253,420 tonnes collected during the third quarter. Currently plastics remains on course to meet its target collection total of over 965,000 tonnes for the year – with around 79% of this material having been collected to date.