On Friday (24 February), the BRC confirmed that it would be writing to Rishi Sunak this week asking him to intervene on both extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the deposit return scheme (DRS) (see letsrecycle.com story).
The BRC said the two schemes combined will “add around £4 billion in costs to retailers”, which will be passed down the line. It added that they will be “unlikely” to deliver improvement to recycling or waste disposal either.
In response, Defra, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, highlighted that it has already “listened to feedback from industry” by removing its business waste proposals, reducing costs from £2.7 billion to £1.4 billion.
The department said EPR is still on track to be delivered from 2024, but it will remain in talks with producers as the “final design of the scheme and delivery plans are developed”.
We are committed to continuing to work closely with industry as the final design of the scheme is decided
- Defra
2024
A Defra spokesperson told letsrecycle.com: “Our extended producer responsibility scheme, which is on track to be introduced from 2024, will place more responsibility on businesses to reduce excess packaging and to use packaging that can be recycled easily.
“This scheme will sit alongside other waste reforms introduced by government, including bans on more single-use plastic items, a deposit return scheme for drinks containers and consistent recycling collections for households and businesses, on top of targets for recycling packaging waste.
“We are committed to continuing to work closely with industry as the final design of the scheme is decided and delivery plans are developed.”
Lobbying
Industry lobbying has been growing in recent weeks as the 2024 EPR deadline nears, and fears over Scotland’s DRS also rise.
A statutory instrument published in November mandated obligated producers in England to collect data from March 2023, or January if they have the data, so they can begin to cover the cost of managing this packaging from 2024.
However, many have expressed frustrations during Defra’s visionary sprint groups over the lack of detail in the short-term.
Producers in Scotland have also been publicly calling for the DRS to be delayed, and the Scottish government has softened large parts of the regulations. Reports over the weekend suggested that small producers could be exempt completely in the early years of the scheme.
Legislation
For EPR, Defra is sticking to the 2024 deadline, highlighting that the plans featured in the 2018 Resources and Waste Strategy.
This, according to Defra, set out how the government will “preserve our stock of material resources by minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency and moving towards a more circular economy.”
In the plan, government committed to several actions, including the introduction of an EPR scheme for packaging.
The Defra spokesperson added: “The plans for EPR, which will come into force from 2024, play a key part in delivering those goals and all four nations are taking a joint approach to introducing this scheme.
“The revenue generated will support better local council services and ensure that households can all recycle the same packaging materials,” the spokesperson added.
Delays
The letter from the BRC marks the latest attempt from some producer groups to pressure the government over parts of the proposals, amid the cost of living crisis.
In August 2022, the department denied suggestions from the Food and Drink Federation that the plans would add £60 to shopping bills (see letsrecycle.com story).
The FDF, whose members include large producers such as Coca-Cola and Unilever, called on ministers to pause the plans, which would be an “easy win” for consumers already facing higher costs.
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