Defra reveals themes of new packaging strategy

And, they include making the PRN system more visible to councils and consumers and thinking about changing packaging targets to reflect the “greatest area of carbon gain”.

The insight came yesterday from Defra's head of producer responsibility, Judicaelle Hammond, who was speaking at an IGD conference on sustainable packaging in London, alongside WRAP's head of retail, Andy Dawe.

Ms Hammond said that while she could not make a policy statement about the review, it was taking place in light of the Waste Strategy for England and the department was looking at how packaging policy could contribute to climate change and resource efficiency agendas – which she pointed out had a “new significance” given the current economic climate.

And, she explained that it was being developed around the twin aims of optimising packaging and recycling more of what did get used.

For optimisation, she said this would include eco design, more lightweighting – especially for glass and new grocery sectors – and better market analysis to define the “scope for action of refillable and reusable packaging and use of concentrates.”

Recycling

For recycling, Ms Hammond said that businesses and local authorities needed to think about their waste as a resource and develop collecting and sorting infrastructure that delivered quality materials.

And, she said that there were some materials which would need much more effort that others.

For aluminium and steel, she explained this would include a focus on cans outside the home as well as home collections.

For glass, she said that the department was looking at the hospitality sector and reducing the reliance on aggregates over time, explaining: “In carbon terms it is not the best thing to do with them.”

Meanwhile, for plastics, she said that there would be a focus on commercial and industrial waste and that sorting would be a “key” issue.

Other points included the quality of MRFs and explaining bottle-only collections to consumers.

Producer responsibility

On producer responsibility, Ms Hammond said that the system would remain. However, she stressed that Defra would “think about changing the targets for producers based on the greatest areas of carbon gain.”

She said: “Whenever the strategy is published – and I don't have a publication date at the moment as this is with minister – one of the biggest questions it will have to look at is how to make the PRN system more visible to local authorities.

“Producers are doing their bit and it is not necessarily visible to local authorities or consumers either. We will have a pre-consultation with key stakeholder and consult on options for changing the regulations,” she added.

WRAP

Mr Dawe, meanwhile, outlined the progress WRAP had achieved through the 2005 Courtauld Commitment – a voluntary agreement between retailers to design out packaging waste growth by 2008, identify ways of tackling food waste and reducing packaging waste growth by 2010.

This includes WRAP meeting the 2008 target for halting packaging growth earlier this year despite a sharp increase in sales (see letsrecycle.com story).

Mr Dawe added that, following a meeting with signatories in July, a post 2010 successor agreement was now under discussion and was expected to have targets extended until 2012/13 or even later and may have a broader remit beyond the primary packaging and grocery sector.

He said: “We have scheduled another meeting with signatories which will be taking place in January and timetables is that by the summer of next year we will have put in place an agreement that extends beyond 2010.”

The issue of packaging waste and the government's packaging policy review is to be discussed by speakers incluing Judicaelle Hammond at letsrecycle.com's Packaging Recycling Summit, to be held on December 11 in London.