DEFRA announced the business recovery and recycling targets for 2004-2008 today (20/11/03).
Paper, glass and steel face the most drastic leap in targets from 2003's target of 19%, to 65%, 49% and 52.5% respectively for 2004. In contrast, the target for wood recycling will rise gradually to just 21% by 2008. Next year it will be 18%.
Packaging recovery and recycling targets (%)
| Material | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
| Paper | 65 | 66 | 68 | 69 | 70 |
| Glass | 49 | 55 | 61 | 66 | 71 |
| Aluminium | 26 | 28 | 30.5 | 33 | 35.5 |
| Steel | 52.5 | 55 | 58 | 60 | 61.5 |
| Plastic | 21.5 | 22 | 22.5 | 23 | 23.5 |
| Wood | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20.5 | 21 |
Overall recovery |
63 | 65 | 67 | 69 | 70 |
| Recovery to be achieved through recycling | 94 | 94 | 94 | 95 | 95 |
Environment minister Elliot Morley said: “Recycling of packaging waste must increase if the UK is to achieve the challenging recycling objectives set out in the government's Waste Strategies and help the UK to meet expected EU Directive targets in 2008.”
Uncertainty
DEFRA said the targets take account of third quarter recycling and recovery returns and the estimated recycling rate for 2003. Uncertainty surrounding wood and plastic recycling data led to low targets for these materials, designed to just meet the likely Directive minimum material-specific recycling target for 2008.
DEFRA said an investigation will soon begin into allegations that some plastic packaging compliance is being issues inappropriately. And it admitted: “the amount of wood recycling expected in 2003 is not clear as the wood data is uncertain at this stage.”
The aluminium and steel targets have been set to jointly achieve the minimum material-specific recycling target for 'metals' in 2008. “The allocation of targets as between aluminium and steel has been made with a view to achieving a fair balance in respect of the effort likely to be needed to collect and recycle packaging waste from the household waste stream,” the department explained.
Recovery
Mr Morley noted the recovery target, which was 59% overall for 2003, would have to be met increasingly through recycling to ensure the UK achieves at least 50% in 2004 and can increase this to 55% – the required minimum – by 2008.
The minister said :”The overall recovery target has been set with a view to taking account of the possible changes in relation to operations which incinerate waste with energy recovery.”
So although some energy can be carried out at the moment, to meet EU targets this must be achieved through operations such as Refuse Derived Fuel and Energy From Waste, DEFRA said.
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