Registered with the Environment and Heritage Service, the new compliance scheme will take on the responsibilities of packaging producers to ensure their recovery obligations under UK packaging waste regulations are carried out.
Although compliance schemes based in mainland Britain have operated in Northern Ireland for some time, with an office in Bangor, County Down, Nipak is the first based there. It is being marketed as “Northern Ireland's compliance scheme”, with the promise that it will be able to respond to local companies' needs more rapidly than compliance schemes based in mainland Britain.
The scheme was started by managing director Simon Stringer, who has seven years experience trading in the packaging waste sector in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.
Speaking to letsrecycle.com, Mr Stringer said: “The idea is that Nipak very much serves the local market, as well as some companies in the Republic with an interest in Great Britain. There are 400 to 500 obligated companies here, and although the bigger Great Britain compliance schemes operate here, I would expect the scheme to pick up a lot of the smaller and locally-based companies.”
Formerly membership services executive for the Republic of Ireland packaging organisation Repak, Mr Stringer has worked in industry and local government in Northern Ireland as well as running his own consultancy assisting businesses meet the requirements of the Packaging Regulations.
Members
With three members already registered with the Environment and Heritage Service through Nipak, two more “almost ready to go” and three or four further companies getting their data in shape for the registration process, Mr Stringer expected to have about a dozen members by the end of the year.
“Some big companies have said they will join next year,” Mr Stringer said. “I would think that next year we would be aiming for around 50 – 75 members, and perhaps 150 the year after that – because the scheme will attract local companies.”
As well as Mr Stringer's expertise, Nipak will be calling on the services of the former Biffpack scheme manager, James Butler. While Mr Butler continues to work independently in another industry following his departure from Biffpack in 2002, he will be retained by Nipak in a consultancy role to provide an overview on compliance issues, management systems, data quality and PRN procurement.
“I know a lot myself,” Mr Stringer said, “but having an extra man like James is brilliant – he's been through it all, and it will be great to have him there as a sounding board.”
For more information on the UK packaging waste recovery regulations, see the letsrecycle.com legislation section.
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