Speaking to letsrecycle.com yesterday, days after Defra launched an investigation into data problems related to the current collapse of PRN prices (see letsrecycle.com story), Kronospan said that many packaging producers were “escaping the net” due to “near enough non-existent” policing of the UK packaging producer responsibility system.
” We want the same level of scrutiny to be put on obligated companies as is put on reprocessors.“
– Richard Coulson, Kronospan
The board mill, which uses recycled packaging wood to produce chipboard at its plant near Wrexham in North Wales, said it is itself strictly audited to ensure its compliance with the packaging waste recovery note (PRN) system.
Richard Coulson, sawmill residues and recycled materials buyer for Kronospan, said: “We want the same level of scrutiny to be put on obligated companies as is put on reprocessors. We are under a tremendous amount of pressure, which is understandable, but there is no point if it is only one-sided.”
In 2004 only 16 of 20 compliance scheme organisations paid by UK packaging producers to comply with the producer responsibility regulations on their behalf purchased sufficient PRNs to do so (see letsrecycle.com story).
However, no prosecution from the Environment Agency ever resulted from the non-compliance.
Meanwhile, this year it has emerged that other packaging producer companies have escaped producer responsibility requirements because of loop-holes in the legislation (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mr Coulson said: “We believe some leased packaging is escaping the net and packaging from smaller companies, who are able to declare their own obligations without being checked.”
Targets
Mr Coulson, who manages 350,000 tonnes of recycled wood a year, also criticised the government's 20% target for packaging recovery for wood.
He said: “The government targets for wood PRNs have gone down from last year and need to be raised, to increase demand. I'd; like to think that the investigation into the price crash will bring out the problems and help the government to amend their legislation and targets.”
Egger
Other board mills in the UK have agreed action is needed now that prices of PRNs – the mechanism that brings producer investment to reprocessors – has reached 3 per tonne in many cases.
Mark Hayton, general manager for recycling at Egger board mill in Northumberland, demanded changes to Defra's annual packaging recovery targets, which were set last year based on apparently inaccurate obligation figures.
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Mr Hayton said: “The government needs to create a demand for material by raising targets, because otherwise the money you get back is not worth the money you put in.”
The Egger general manager for recycling said the price of PRNs would have to be “at least” 10-15 per tonne to provide “something meaningful” for reprocessors and help them invest in recycling infrastructure. “The system is supposed to support further recycling,” he said.
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