Run by Biffa Waste Services, the scheme's membership of packaging producers, obligated under the UK regulations to recover and recycle their share of packaging waste, grew from 422 companies to 431 in 2003.
The total recovery obligation for 2003, for which the scheme took responsibility on behalf of its members, was about 375,000 tonnes.
- For information about how producer responsibility for packaging waste operates in the UK, see the letsrecycle.com legislation section.
Biffpack's costs per tonne charged to its members for each packaging waste material in 2003 averaged 7 for paper, 11 for glass, 16 for aluminium, 8 for steel, 8 for plastic and 8 for recovery.
Phil Conran, recycling manager at Biffa Waste Services, said: “Once again, we have been able to demonstrate cost-effective compliance while providing our members with an extremely high level of customer service though a great team.”
Looking ahead to 2004, the scheme is anticipating a marked change in the profile of its material obligations thanks to the increased recovery and recycling targets announced by DEFRA at the end of November (see letsrecycle.com story).
Changes
Biffpack has restructured its agreements with reprocessors to reflect the target changes. But, the full impact of the new targets for the scheme would be difficult to gauge until reprocessing data for 2003 is known, Mr Conran said.
The scheme believes it is “crucial” for DEFRA to release the full 2003 reprocessing figures as planned in late February 2004, if those in the market to be able to plan the growth needed to ensure full compliance.
Mr Conran said: “2004 will clearly be more of a challenge, but we are well-placed to provide our members with not only our expertise on packaging compliance, but support in the other area of waste management that will arise out of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), hazardous waste and many other issues that will place pressure on waste producers.”
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