Packaging recycling targets for 2011 need to be put in place “as soon as possible” to give companies time to plan for next year, the government's Advisory Committee on Packaging has warned.
The comments came in minutes published last week from a committee meeting on June 21, in which it also called on Defra to carefully consider the targets it sets from 2015 to 2020 to avoid “overheating the market”.
The issue of future packaging recycling targets will be among the topics being discussed at a one-day conference, 'FRESH HORIZONS FOR PACKAGING WASTE'. Organised by letsrecycle.com, the event takes place in central London on September 30. For more information, go to www.letsrecycle.com/go/events/ or e-mail sabreena.k@environmentmedia.co.uk
At present, packaging recycling targets for businesses have only been set until the end of this year and as a result, the former government launched a consultation in March which included new packaging recycling targets from 2011 to 2020 (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, the provisional targets – particularly for materials such as plastics – have proved controversial (see letsrecycle.com story) and the new coalition government, which is undertaking a widespread review of waste policy, has yet to reveal how it plans to proceed.
Consequently, at the meeting the Committee “reiterated the importance of having targets in place for 2011 as soon as possible to allow companies to plan for the coming year.”
The Committee also said that ministers would need to analyse the responses it had received to the packaging consultation to carefully consider the later targets it was proposing – particularly in relation to glass, plastic and aluminium, where it is believed the proposed targets could be too costly to meet.
It said: “Defra [The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] would need to set targets which, while keeping momentum in the system, did not overheat the market.”
Responses
For its part, Defra informed the committee that it had received 96 responses from a broad range of interested parties including obligated producers, trade associations, local authorities and third sector organisations and that it was in the process of analysing them.
There has always been some gap between the two because the packaging regulations contain a de minimis threshold, exempting businesses which have a turnover below £2 million and who handle under 50 tonnes of packaging from any obligation. This means that those businesses which are not exempt have to pay for more recycling, to cover the shortfall. This means they have higher targets to meet, known as UK business targets.
The level of obligated tonnage for any specific material is general is around 85% of the total waste arising. However, the 2009 obligated tonnage data showed a drop in the percentage of packaging captured by the regulations to around 77% for glass and 76% for plastics – placing more of a burden on those companies which were obligated.
This is something which has been highlighted as a problem by bodies including the Food and Drink Federation and INCPEN.
The minutes reveal: “A significant number of responses expressed concern about the increased gap between obligated tonnage and the total packaging waste arisings. Defra requested that the Committee establish a taskforce to investigate this issue.”
Taskforces
The ACP and Defra also agreed at the meeting to establish a taskforce to investigate issues around the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging and a taskforce to investigate engagement with local authorities. A further taskforce looking at exports was also mooted.
Meanwhile, the committee said that work by its metals taskforce is continuing, with a two project groups set up to look at revising the protocols for aluminium and steel.
Register for free to comment