Business Targets

Each year recovery and recycling targets are set for UK packaging producers to meet. Known as “business targets”, these were designed to enable the UK to meet the recovery and recycling targets specified in the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive.

The UK business targets are higher than the directive targets because, under the UK system, smaller businesses are excluded from the obligations and so only a proportion of all packaging is obligated whereas the EU directive targets apply to all packaging waste. They also extend beyond 2008, which was the last year for which targets were set under the Packaging Directive.

The business targets for 2006 to 2010, which are used by businesses to calculate their obligations, are split into material streams and are set out in the table below. Proposals to increase the targets further by 2020 are due out for consultation in early 2010.

Business targets for packaging waste recovery, 2006-2010 (in %):
	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Paper	66.5	67	67.5	68.5	69.5
Glass	65	69.5	78	80	81
Aluminium	29	31	35	38	40
Steel	56	57.5	68	68.5	69
Plastic	23	24	26	27	29
Wood	19.5	20	20.5	21	22
Overall Recovery	66	67	72	73	74
Min. Recycling*	92	92	92	92	92
Source - Defra
* Target refers to the percentage of the overall recovery target that must be achieved through recycling materials (rather than energy recovery)

Directive targets for the UK (until 2008)

The Directive targets that the UK had to meet by the end of 2008 were:

Overall Recovery:	60%
Overall Recycling:	55%

The Material Specific Recycling targets were:

Paper:	60%
Glass:	60%
Metals:	50%
Plastic:	22.5%
Wood:	15%