The next European target this country must reach is for 60% recycling by 2006, with differentiated minimums for each packaging material of 60% for glass, 55% for paper, 50% for metals and 20% for plastics. No target has been specified for overall recovery as the EU looks to move away from incineration.

However, the European Parliament is currently discussing proposals to increase this recycling target Ñ for the main reason that some European member states may achieve the present 2006 target early. Figures being suggested by Dutch MEP Dorette Corbey involve an 80% recycling rate, which many businesses in this country see as close to impossible with the existing UK infrastructure.

59% target for 2002

This year, still working to the current EU target for 2006, the UK government intends to recover nearly 5 million tonnes of packaging material. This continues the general trend in recovery obligation in this country since 1998, when the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations came into effect:

NATIONAL RECOVERY OBLIGATION 1998-2001

	1998	1999	2000	2001
UK recovery obligation	2,390,220	3,073,710	3,481,202	4,454,135

Figures are derived from the data forms returned to EA, SEPA and EHS by obligated businesses each year

In order to carry out this intent, Environment Minister Michael Meacher has set targets for obligated UK businesses this year of 59% recovery, with a 19% minimum for recycling of each packaging material.

Mr Meacher said: "In light of the changes in the amount of packaging data reported by businesses obligated under the packaging Regulations, the Government has decided on a 59 per cent recovery target and a material-specific target of 19 per cent for the year 2002. That will help us meet our challenging domestic recycling targets and the likely higher targets coming from Europe."

The consultation paper used to decide on these targets is available.

The UK failed in its obligation to recover 50% of material by June 2001 Ñ but, as was expected, only by a small margin, around 2%. The UK recycled 42% of its packaging waste in 2001, and the recycling and recovery amounts (in tonnes) are laid out in the table below.

RECOVERY AND RECYCLING CARRIED OUT IN 2001

	UK reprocessing [1]	Exported for reprocessing [2]	Reprocessing for which no PRN/PERN issued [3]	PRN & PERN carried forward to 2002 [4]	Tonnes accepted for recovering & recycling, UK (total of [1] and [2])
Paper	* 1,851,505	179,439	25,895	83,064	2,030,944
Glass	696,578	39,016	17,036	29,273	735,594
Aluminium	25,869	3,161	1	821	29,030
Steel	141,343	136,736	3,051	8,365	278,079
Plastics	203,149	66,813	6,077	10,506	269,962
Wood	573,951		4,985	23,742	573,951
Alt evidence	30,741				30,741
Total recycling	3,492,395				3,917,560
EfW	♥ 513,939		913	24,986	513,939
Total	4,037,075	425,165	# 57,958	180,757	4,462,240

* paper total includes 659 tonnes composting
  alternative evidence produced as evidence of compliance
à EfW broken down as follows: Clinical incineration 4,060; MSW 479,169; RDF 12,958;
♥ EfW 17,752 - Total: 513,939 tonnes
# of which 5,000 t is exports

The House of Lords Trade and Industry committee has heard evidence from all sides as part of an enquiry into the costs to industry of the 1994 EU directive on packaging waste, to be published in October 2002. Aside from a few non-compliance issues the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reported that industry is generally content with the PRN system of recycling and recovery compliance. The system has been, on the whole, a low-cost method of compliance and there has been significant investment in the UK infrastructure as a result of PRN-related funds.

The proportions of revenue from Packaging Recovery Notes and Packaging Export Recovery Notes in each material are laid out below:

The DTI made clear to the House of Lords committee that the existing 2006 targets would not be too much of a problem for UK businesses. But the department noted that if the Corbey proposals go ahead, increasing the recycling target to 80%, the UK would need a £1 billion investment in its infrastructure over the five years in order to achieve full compliance.