Packaging reduction drive planned in North London

The second largest waste disposal authority in England is proposing to write to retailers and manufacturers to highlight the need to reduce packaging waste.

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA)plans toidentify companies who are obligated under the packaging producer responsibility regulations and have not signed up to the Courtauld Commitment, a voluntary agreement to cut waste in the grocery sector.

The letter will highlight the need to reduce packaging waste and enquire about alternative steps the companies have taken to tackle it. The Authority believes this will be an effective instrument in generating a greater understanding for the need for action. Under the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations, packaging producers are forbidden from producing excess packaging.

The NLWA provides waste disposal services on behalf of the seven North London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

The move by the NLWA emerged in a report on progress made under the Authoritys Waste Prevention Plan for 2012-14, which was discussed at an Authority meeting last month (September 25). The plan identified food waste as a priority waste stream, followed by furniture reuse and packaging.

The report states: It is proposed that officers seek to identify companies that are obligated under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 and that a letter is sent from the Chair of the Authority to those that have not signed up to the Courtauld Commitment from WRAP, to highlight the need to reduce packaging waste and enquiring about what alternative steps they have taken rather than signing the Courtauld Commitment.

A spokesman for the Authority told letsrecycle.com that the proposal to promote packaging reduction was still in the early stages of development and no letters have yet been sent.

Reduction

TheAuthority has previously said that despite successes in increasing the amount of packaging waste which is recycled, members of the public still believe that packaging is an environmental problem and that more needs to be done to tackle it. As a result, it has always argued for higher packaging recycling and recovery targets and for further effort to be made in relation to packaging reduction.

Last week, WRAP announced that retailers, suppliers and brands were on track to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging by 10% by the end of 2012 under phase two of the Courtauld Commitment (see letrsrecycle.com story).

Plan

In the North London Waste Prevention Plan, the NLWA also provided updates on its work on food waste reduction and furniture reuse. On food waste prevention, it said that it has already held 56 eventsto promote thisat which it engaged with more than 3,500 residents. The Authority is also delivering a food waste, money saving challenge project with Waste Watch.

On furniture re-use meanwhile, the Authority said that a proposal has been developed in partnership with the Community Resource Network to run a number of activities including establishing three trials with Housing Associations for clearance services and creating pop-up shops for paint re-use on housing estates.