Dr Bates is the managing director of OPRL, a not for profit that helps businesses to access recycling and refill messages for brand and retailer packaging.
The upcoming UK packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) initiative aims to transfer the financial burden of handling packaging waste away from taxpayers and onto packaging producers themselves. Under this scheme, these producers will bear the full cost of managing packaging waste originating from households.
In this role Dr Bates will oversee the implementation and preparedness of the Scheme Administrator, which Defra highlights is a critical element in launching the pEPR scheme starting in 2025.
As part of this role Dr Bates will be collaborating closely with Defra, the Devolved Administrations, and various stakeholders along the collection and packaging value chain to reduce packaging usage, promote recyclable packaging, and achieve the governments recycling targets.
“Opportunity”
Commenting on her appointment, Dr Margaret Bates said: “During my time at OPRL, engagement with representatives across the value chain has shown an ever-growing appetite for collaborative working and a focus on finding solutions. I look forward to building on this spirit of cooperation in the exciting new position of Head for the UK Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging Scheme Administrator.
“This role is a huge opportunity to act as a catalyst for the whole industry to continue to create an effective EPR, ensuring that the responsibility for dealing with packaging waste is moved fairly on to producers, while also protecting the environment. Most of all, I hope to listen, and channel my experience of the issues facing the many varied stakeholders, to deliver a scheme that works – within the agreed timescales, and with common purpose.”
“Confidence”
Dr Stewart Davies, chair at OPRL, added: “OPRL is immensely proud that our Managing Director, Dr Margaret Bates, has been enlisted to lead on this important step toward the circular economy in packaging.
“OPRL was born out of a need by producers and retailers for labelling that gives consumers confidence in recycling, and our collaboration with material organisations, recyclers and local authority groups ensures a commitment to whole-chain solutions. Our producer and consumer surveys also keep us up to date on market thinking, and it is this industry-wide network which will form a secure base for EPR implementation.”
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