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Welsh business recycling reforms pushed back

The Welsh government has pushed back its plans to mandate businesses to separate recyclable materials from each other by six months, but has urged firms to prepare.

Welsh businesses will be required to separate recyclables by April 2024 (picture: Shutterstock)

In a consultation in November 2022, the Welsh government sought views on making it a legal requirement for businesses, charities and public sector bodies to separate recyclables when putting them out for collection.

The recyclable materials covered by the proposals are:  Glass; paper and card; metal and plastic; food waste from premises producing 5kg or more per week; small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE); and textiles.

This was due to come in from October 2023 under the plans, but this date has been moved to April 2024.

I urge those who have yet to complete their preparations to follow the example of those that have

  • Julie James, Welsh government

Responses

The consultation, which ran for 12 weeks from 23 November 2022 to 15 February 2023, received 86 respondents.

A summary of responses was published in a statement on 27 April by the Welsh minister for climate change, Julie James, where the delay was confirmed.

The Welsh minister for climate change, Julie James

She explained that the reforms form an “essential element of the Welsh government’s action on the climate and nature emergency”.

Ms James said that having “carefully considered the feedback”, she will be extending the coming into force date of the legislation until 6 April 2024.

“This will allow an additional six months for the necessary preparations in advance of the legislation coming into force at the beginning of the next financial year.  I would therefore urge those who have yet to complete their preparations to follow the example of those that have,” she said.

WEEE and Textiles

Welsh hospitals will have an additional two years to prepare for the plans (Picture: Shutterstock)

The summary of responses also noted that there was concern among the respondents on the requirements to include the separate presentation of WEEE and textiles for businesses.

The Welsh government said in the summary that it is intended that separation and collection requirements for WEEE and textiles from non-domestic premises are phased in after the coming into force date, by up to two and three years respectively.

“This will allow the waste collection, reuse, repair and recycling services to gear themselves up and to align with the planned changes in the extended producer responsibility regulations for WEEE and, potentially, for textiles,” the response document said.

Cartons should also be best collected in the metal and plastic stream rather than in the paper and card stream.

Hospitals will also have an additional two-years to comply.

Delay

The delay will likely be welcomed by parts of the private sector which called for a ‘phased-in’ approach.

Waste sector trade body UROC published its response to the document shortly after the consultation closed, where it criticised parts of the “well intentioned” plans (see letsrecycle.com story). 

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