However, the association representing local authority recycling officers says it welcomes yesterday’s hotly anticipated release of the government consultations on extended producer responsibility (EPR) and a deposit return scheme (DRS) (see letsrecycle.com story).
The consultations will have a significant impact on recycling in the UK. A third consultation on consistency in recycling and waste collections within local authorities was also expected but has been delayed. However, it could be issued soon.
The third consultation will contain proposals covering free green waste collections and mandatory food waste services, amongst others.
Carole Taylor, Chair LARAC, said: “There is understandable frustration in the delay in releasing the consistency consultation, with further implications for councils.
“There is also concern about the shortened consultation period at a time when local authorities and business are stretched with their ongoing efforts in the face of Covid-19. We would ask the governments to seriously consider reinstating the consultation period to the full 12 weeks.”
LARAC said it will work closely with its members to produce a response and help them to produce their own responses.
Local authorities
LARAC says it also has concerns about the timings of DRS and EPR implementation and how these then relate to payments to local authorities. A DRS will now be implemented in late 2024 “at the earliest”, while the “first phase” of reforms to EPR could be rolled out from October 2023.
Ms Taylor added: “I would urge all local authorities to take the time to properly consider these hugely important consultations and respond meaningfully to them.
“The outputs from these consultations will shape local authority waste services for the next twenty years so we need to get them right and working for local residents.”
DRS
LARAC says it welcomes the fact that the DRS consultation is seeking further views concerning the “on the go” options and the emerging work on digital DRS (see letsrecycle.com story).
It believes a DRS that utilises and builds on the “widespread and well used” household kerbside collection infrastructure is likely to be the best solution.
EPR
LARAC says it continues to support the approach being taken on the full net costs in the EPR consultation with producers being responsible for costs in their “widest sense”.
“I would urge all local authorities to take the time to properly consider these hugely important consultations”
In terms of the EPR governance models, LARAC supported a single body approach in the first round of consultations and says it is pleased to see this option is in the second consultation.
The cost recovery aspects of the EPR consultation will be LARAC’s focus, it says, and it will look to make sure that producers do now pay for the full cost of their packaging in the UK.
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