Many of the compliance schemes registered in England and regulated by the Environment Agency, have sent a joint letter to Patricia Henton, chief executive of SEPA following the organisation's decision on Wastepack. Signatories include Valpak, Cleanapack, Biffpack, Paperpak, Pennine-Pack and Wespack.
Packaging waste compliance schemes obtain evidence of recycling and recovery on behalf of their members. In the case of Wastepack, SEPA ruled that the scheme had not carried out all “reasonable steps” to meet the requirements of the legislation. This is usually met through the purchase of PRNs – packaging waste recovery notes. Wastepack has been issued with a formal letter of warning.
The compliance schemes, in their letter, make a number of observations. They comment on a fundamental issue regarding PRNs and whether alternative evidence can be claimed to meet obligations.
Market
And, they also criticise SEPA over what they see as a delay by the regulator in publicising the matter: “We must question the delay in bringing this decision to the public as it has a significant effect on the market for PRNs, indicating for the first time the scale of the shortfall for 2001 and therefore the challenge now facing 2002.”
Meanwhile, in the wake of comments by Environment Minister Michael Meacher and his plans to talk to the Scottish Executive about the matter, the Executive has reiterated that the subject is a matter for SEPA.
A spokesman for the Scottish Executive said: “As Wastepack is regulated with SEPA, it is for SEPA in the first instance to consider what regulatory action should be taken in accordance with the packaging waste regulations.”
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