Last month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched a consultation outlining three options for future target levels for the collection and recycling of paper, steel, wood and aluminium packaging until the end of the decade (see letsrecycle.com story).
The target for aluminium packaging currently stands at 55% in 2017 – with the three proposed options including a static target to 2020, a 2% year-on-year rise to 61% by the end of the decade, or a more stretching 3% yearly increase stopping at 64% by 2020.
Producer responsibility
Alupro has called on the government to set ‘stretching but realistic’ targets – which it claims will drive investment in aluminium recycling through the producer responsibility system – but said the proposals outlined by Defra do not ‘reflect the ambition of the aluminium sector to maximise recycling’ of the material.
According to the organisation, representations were made to Defra in advance of the consultation for future targets to be ‘front end loaded’ – to ensure that the packaging recovery note (PRN) system continues to provide an incentive to drive investment in the sector.
In a statement, Alupro said: “Targets that are easily achievable will result in lower PRN prices, making accreditation to the system less attractive. Our real fear is that the proposed targets will not convince reprocessors/exporters to remain accredited, with the result that volumes will go unreported and the true recycling performance will not be measured.”
Protocol
Alupro had also called for the 2017 target to be increased as it argued that the basis upon which the goal had been set had changed – with aluminium packaging recovered from incinerator bottom ash (IBA) now counted toward packaging targets. This follows the introduction of a protocol for non-ferrous material which came into effect from 2015.
Alupro added: “For other materials, changes in the market information has led to revised targets. Alupro argues that the aluminium data is robust and accurate, and should be used to shape future recycling targets.
“Alupro will therefore be supporting higher targets, but urges the government to ensure that future targets are ‘stretching but realistic’, and are regularly reviewed so that the efforts the sector has taken to engage reprocessors in the system and ensure recycling performance data is robust are not undermined.”
Defra’s consultation on revisions to the packaging targets runs until midday on 6 January 2017.
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