According to the new edict, providing companies submit all required data for 2023 by 31 May 2024, they will not be prosecuted for missing the first two EPR submission deadlines of 1 October 2023 and 1 April 2024 (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the deadline for submission under the existing Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 remains unchanged (7 April).
Frankly, it’s a mess
- Rebecca Webber, Ecoveritas
‘Encourage’
Rebecca Webber, operations manager at Ecoveritas, said: “We encourage companies to do their best to meet their existing deadlines. We will be working with all our clients closely using all reasonable endeavours to report packaging data by the current reporting dates of 1 October 2023 and 1 April 2024, wherever possible, as we understand that this packaging data is vital to improving the modelling of illustrative base fees, which producers so desperately need to plan effectively for the future.
“Defra cannot provide producers with the indicative costs they urgently require without this data.”
Ms Webber added: “It’s important to remember that filing under the old 2007 regulations remains unchanged, so one-half of business reporting remains the same even as the other half constantly shifts. Clearly, the rollout of EPR continues to be an absolute omnishambles, but it’s businesses who will pay the price if they get any details wrong in a last-minute scramble to meet the new May deadline.”
“Frankly, it’s a mess,” she concluded.
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