Overall there is a welcome for the figures which means that schemes and companies can now plan ahead. There is also some surprise that the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have chosen a figure of 59% for total recovery which is some 2% below the options proposed originally. And, there is a view that publication of the figures only removes one of the questions currently surrounding the PRN market. (For the figures see: packaging targets.)
One compliance expert said he felt the 59% figure would mean that the market for PRNs would not soar this year although some increases in prices were inevitable. He added: “The picture is still complicated by the fact that not all reports have yet been made for last year. We are still waiting for news from SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) over how the three schemes it registered fared last year.”
Flow
Valpak, the largest packaging waste compliance scheme, welcomed the announcement of the 2002 recycling and recovery targets. Valpak said they give the scheme a firmer base on which to plan
compliance for its members and remove one element of uncertainty in the PRN
market. A statement added: “There remains, however, an urgent need to confirm the level of recycling activity during 2001
as this will reaffirm the activity being undertaken in 2002. In particular, it is important to confirm the total
number of PRNs generated, the total number purchased by compliance schemes and individual compliers,
the total packaging flow declared by obligated businesses and the total packaging flow for the UK as a
whole.”
Steve Gough, Valpak’s director of operations, said: “Although the targets are slightly lower than we
had expected, this will be offset against reported growth in the packaging handled by our members in 2001.
Despite the uncertainty, we have made significant commitments to reprocessors for 2002 and are going
forward with our material acquisition programme.”
Difficult
Mike Beard, marketing director for Wastepack, the second largest compliance scheme, said he welcomed publication of the figures but that it “is very difficult to comment further on this announcement because of the failure of the government so far to disclose the actual reprocessing amount achieved in 2001. The targets certainly require a significant further increase in recovery and recycling and there will need to be much debate about how this will be achieved.”
Tighter
James Butler, manager of the Biffpack scheme, said: “We welcome the fact that the targets have been announced and they will contribute to certainty in the market. The targets are lower than we thought it would be. The market will be tight this year but I do not believe we will see any shortfall in any particular material.”
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