Eight local authorities benefit from PRN fund from EMR

Blaenau Gwent, the District of Bolsover, East Riding of Yorkshire, Harlow, City of Lincoln, Manchester City, Somerset and the City and County of Swansea are to embark on a range of projects under the scheme, from the provision of can banks, collection bags and recycling equipment to a variety of education and awareness schemes.

Highlighting future targets for the recycling of packaging waste, Colin Iles, managing director of EMR, said: ”Within four years, we need to be extracting an additional 72,000 tonnes a year of metal packaging from our waste – that’s 30 cans per head of population – and the majority of the growth will need to come from the household waste steam. This will be a major challenge for recyclers and local authorities.”

Crystal clear
Mr Iles emphasised that while there is no obligation of local authorities to recycle more steel and aluminium cans, “it is crystal clear that if we are to reach these targets we are heavily dependent on local authorities.”

He added: “The Reload Fund demonstrates how packaging recovery revenue can be distributed to local authorities in a way that encourages good practice and innovation and we will be actively looking to build on the success of the scheme.”

An independent panel was formed to judge the entries to the Reload Fund, including John Enright, head of the Local Authority Support Unit at DEFRA and Kay Twitchen, board member of the Environment Agency and former chair of the Local Government Association's waste executive.

Applications for 2005 funding will be invited in the summer by EMR which is believed to be the UK's largest recycler of metal packaging through its exporting of scrap metal which contains a percentage of packaging so generating export-PRNs (packaging waste recovery notes).

• EMR has acquired Bedford-based scrap merchant Smith and Co for an undisclosed sum. Founded in 1951, the company has a four-acre site. Bob Garwood, EMR director for the South East, said: “Smith's and Co has a strong reputation in the Bedford area and the move will significantly strengthen our national recycling network.”