Plastic and metal packaging figures under scrutiny

Two studies are being carried out to assess whether recycling obligations for plastic and metal packaging have been set at appropriate levels, following lobbying by metal and plastic packaging producers.

The projects, which were announced today (February 25) are being carried out jointly by Valpak and the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), having been commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Representations were made to Defra and WRAP from the metal and plastic packaging industries calling for a review of market flows to ensure confidence in the baseline information against which the UKs progress towards the EU packaging targets are assessed.

The Metalflow 2014 project commenced in early 2014 with a report expected to be published by the end of May; while the Plastic Market Flow 2014 project is due to commence next month, with the scope of the project currently being finalised. It is expected that a report for the plastics sector will be published by the summer.

Markets

Bob Lisney, chairman of the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP), said: The ACP is keen to understand why the amount of packaging placed on the market differs wildly to that of obligated packaging. We fully support the investigation of UK packaging market flows and the development of forward looking scenarios to give us an improved understanding of these markets, which hopefully will be welcomed by those directly involved in the industry.

The announcement of the projects comes after the British Plastics Federation published a report claiming that the packaging recycling targets for plastic had been set too high, as the data on which the targets are based has overstated the amount of packaging placed on the market by around 300-400 thousand tonnes per annum (see letsrecycle.com story).

Glass

A study has already been carried out to assess the accuracy of data used to calculate the amount of glass packaging placed onto the market, upon which the recycling target for glass is based, which has itself led to a government consultation on amendments to the glass target (see letsrecycle.com story).

WRAP has said that the current estimates and projections for metal and plastic packaging market flows must be reviewed because they are based on assumed growth rates from historic baselines. It is envisaged that they will be evaluated alongside potential alternative estimation methods.

The organisation said that the studies will aim to:

• Review estimates of metal packaging (steel and aluminium) placed on the market in the UK, with separate assessments of the amount of recycling and reprocessing: and,
• review estimates of the amount of plastic packaging placed on the market.

WRAP added that the studies would improve market transparency and information on plastic and metal packaging recovery and recycling in the UK while also identifying and evaluating possible risks to UK compliance this year, and in subsequent years.

Clarity

Marcus Gover, director at WRAP said: Data is key to achieving clarity. We need the support and input from the industry, and ask them to share their data so that these projects can provide an unbiased and authoritative analysis of the metal and plastic packaging markets.

Once complete, these projects will provide a sound basis for decisions that could enable increased recovery and recycling of packaging in the UK.

Steve Gough, chief executive of Valpak, added: We felt that this work was of sufficient importance to commit time and resource to the project. We also believe that it must engage the support of key stakeholders, to whom this information is essential, in terms of planning for cost effective UK compliance, identifying any barriers to more effective collection and recycling and ensuring that the UK is best placed to comply with EU targets and to do so at lowest cost to industry.

Meanwhile the project has also been welcomed by resource minister Dan Rogerson, who said: I fully support WRAPs proposed programme of work to review data underpinning our packaging recycling targets. I want us to have the most robust and comprehensive data available on which to make decisions.