Leased packaging to be included in recovery obligations

Defra is seeking industry views on proposals to include leased packaging and imported transit packaging under the producer responsibility regime for packaging waste.

The Department hopes to narrow the gap between the amount of packaging that is placed on the UK market and the amount reported as obligated for recovery under the Packaging Regulations.

In a consultation paper published today, Defra is proposing:

• That packaging that is leased out, such as pallets and crates, is fully obligated under the regulations;
• That imported transit packaging is obligated under the regulations;
• That franchisors, pub companies and other businesses with similar franchising or licensing arrangements, are obligated for the packaging used by them and by their franchisees, tenants and others.

Stemming from the European Packaging Directive, the Packaging Regulations require companies in the packaging chain to pay for their share of meeting UK recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste. Companies are obligated if they have more than a 2 million turnover and handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year.

Packaging producers that are obligated pay for their recovery requirements by purchasing Packaging waste Recovery Notes (PRNs) issued by accredited packaging waste reprocessors, or export PRNs (PERNs) issued by accredited exporters.

Escaped packaging
Presently there is thought to be just over 10.2 million tonnes of packaging placed on the market each year, but just over 8.2 million tonnes is reported as obligated under the regulations.

Some of the 2 million tonnes of packaging waste not currently obligated under the recovery system is handled by companies too small to meet the regulation threshold.

But Defra hopes its new proposals will help reduce the amount of packaging waste that has escaped obligation – so that packaging producers that do legally comply do not have to pay more than their fair share of meeting recovery targets set by the UK government each year.

Defra also believes that by reducing the amount of packaging waste that escapes obligation will make it easier to reach the European recovery targets set for 2008.

Data
Today's consultation paper also proposes to simplify the data provision requirement for smaller obligated businesses – those handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging and with turnover between 2 and 5 million – to help reduce their costs.

The consultation paper is available on the Defra website.

Deadline
The deadline for responses to the consultation paper is 22 June, with responses to be sent to Benjamin Winterton at Defra, Producer Responsibility Unit, Room 7/E9, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6DE. Fax: 020 7082 8764; or by email to benjamin.winterton@defra.gsi.gov.uk