Wood sector stunned by packaging targets

Yesterday’s release of the packaging waste recycling targets for businesses for 2021 and 2022 confirmed that wood packaging targets will drop from 48% in 2020 to 35% in 2021 and 2022 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Wood

Each other material saw a rise it its target except for wood, to bring it in line with EU targets.

This caused consternation at the Wood Recyclers Association (WRA), which has been working to keep the targets at the 2019 level.

Andy Hill, chair of the WRA, said: “We are disappointed to hear this is the decision that has been taken because we’ve been working behind the scenes for many months campaigning for DEFRA to have a rethink over the proposed reduction in waste wood packaging recycling targets.

Mr Hill continued: “We know we can easily meet the current wood recycling targets – even for this year when packaging material has been lower than normal due to Covid – so we don’t understand why there is a need to reduce the recycling targets. The WRA is committed to the waste hierarchy principle of reuse, recycling and then recovery (biomass fuel) so we would have liked to have seen an increase in waste wood packaging recycling targets, not the opposite.”

Biomass

The fall for wood packaging is thought to reflect the demand for a large amount of material being used by the biomass sector and potential errors in past years when the targets were higher than those in EU nations.

Robbie Staniforth, policy manager for recycling compliance scheme Ecosurety, said the wood recycling industry seems to have become “collateral damage” of the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

The government scheme saw operators of biomass plants given a subsidy for renewable energy generated. This sparked a rush for waste wood to fuel plants, with some even importing material from the continent.

Mr Staniforth said: “It is disappointing to see wood recyclers become collateral damage as a result of the Government’s parallel Renewable Heat Incentive scheme but hopefully the increased overall recycling target will help to cushion some of this blow for the sector”.