Packaging waste recovery “moves into 21st century”

The Federation is managing the setting up of a new online transfer system for data involved in the recycling and recovery of packaging waste.

Some reprocessors are already beginning to use the new online system to report recovery performance data

The Federation today hailed initial success of the project in bringing the PRN system of packaging producer responsibility “into the 21st century”. Some reprocessors are already beginning to submit their recovery performance data via the “National Packaging Waste Database”.

The Database aims to speed up the transfer of PRNs and the export equivalent, PERNs, from accredited packaging waste reprocessors to packaging producers and their compliance schemes.

PRNs and PERNs – the evidence used to demonstrate that packaging producers have carried out their legal obligation to invest in recycling or recovery activities – are currently transferred in paper form. Hopes are that a fully electronic transfer of recovery data could be routine from October 2006, using “electric PRNs” to cut down on complicated paperwork.

However, the Packaging Federation has stressed that the new system will not involve the actual trading, purchasing or selling of PRNs or the transfer of funds.

The Database will merely see electronic PRNs or PERNs generated when agreements have been made between reprocessors/exporters and producers/compliance schemes.

Trading
The new online data system was conceived by the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) under a team lead by Biffpack's Phil Conran. It is being established primarily as a way to speed up the transfer of data in order to strengthen the free market system for the trading of PRNs.

John Turner, ACP chairman, said: “The pay-back for both industry and government in being able to manage and control the key data efficiently and on a timely basis will become plainly evident in the first year of operation. There will be a market improvement over the current paper-based methods.”

It is thought the new Database will also help to cancel out any potential fraud – particularly in the issuing of “inappropriate” PRNs or PERNs, which are usually notes issued by reprocessors or exporters where packaging waste has not been actually been received for recovery.

System
Funding from government and industry – mainly reprocessors – to the tune of 420,000 has been committed for the development of the online system for managing packaging data.

Support for the project has come from BPI, Choice Waste, Coca Cola, Corus, EMR, Novelis, O-I UK, Recoup, Redfearn Glass, Rockware Glass, SCA Packaging, SCA Recycling, Sims Group, St Regis, the Environment Agency, SEPA, the EHS, Defra and WRAP.

Oxford-based software company Solution 7 has been appointed to develop the IT system to allow data to be sent electronically to the environmental agencies from accredited reprocessors and exporters, as well as from packaging producers and producer compliance schemes.

Q1
The first phase of the project has already begun, with half of the packaging waste reprocessing data for the first quarter of 2005 being transferred electronically.

It is ultimately hoped that the system will allow data to be managed on a daily basis rather than quarterly or annually, as at present.

Ian Dent, chief executive of the Packaging Federation, said the whole of the packaging chain would see efficiency improvements as a result of the project.

“By adopting this electronic system, we will be able to control data management better, audit and monitor free riders better, and reduce the administrative burden – and costs – on the industry and the agencies,” Mr Dent said.

• ACP chairman John Turner will be speaking at a free half-day conference on June 1 at letsrecycle.com/Live! – the two-day event being held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry. The seminar will show local authorities how they can gain support from packaging producers for the collection of packaging waste for recycling.