Packaging & packaging waste
Introduction
The EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste 94/62/EC seeks to reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on the environment by introducing recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste, and by encouraging minimisation and reuse of packaging:
- UK implementation of the Packaging Directive, for further information and its implementation
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Amendment) 2008
On 14 March 2008 the new Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Amendment) 2008 come into force. The 2008 Packaging Regulations update the 2007 regulations with the 2008 business targets.
Consultation on broad equivalence evidence requirements
On the 18 March 2008 Defra launched a six week consultation seeking opinions on the evidence currently required from exporters to prove the broadly equivalent status of reprocessing sites outside the EU.
Guidance notes to accompany the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005
- Guidance note for licensors and pub operating businesses (PDF 20 KB) - further guidance notes will be issued shortly.
Operational plans
Producers who are obligated under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007, who have an obligation of more than 500 tonnes, are required to submit an operational plan. This plan should detail that scheme/producer’s anticipated obligation for the years ahead, along with their intended methods to discharge this obligation.
It should be noted that any "small producer" choosing the allocation route (ie having its recycling obligation allocated) will not be required to provide an operational plan at all, regardless of the size of its obligation.
The deadline for providing an operational plan is 31 January of each year.
Guidance for schemes and larger individually registering producers providing the quantitative and qualitative information in their operational plan is set out below.
Quantitative Information
To facilitate assessment of producers’ compliance with the packaging Regulations and the UK's compliance with the packaging Directive, Defra has prepared an electronic spreadsheet for use by compliance schemes and large individually-registered producers registered anywhere in Great Britain to provide the quantitative element of the operational plan.
The data and other information submitted will be considered collectively, and individually as appropriate, by Defra, the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly Government and the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland to determine progress towards meeting the targets in the packaging Regulations and the 2008 Packaging Directive targets.
Qualitative Information
Guidance for providing the qualitative information of operational plans:
Other information
Compliance scheme contact details
The majority of companies who are obligated by the Packaging Regulations have joined a compliance scheme in order to meet their obligations. The compliance scheme list provided by the Environment Agency includes contact names, addresses and phone numbers for the schemes currently in operation.
National Packaging Waste Database
The National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) was developed to meet the demands of industry and Government for a system that simplifies data submission under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007, aids national planning and assists the enforcement agencies to identify abuse and free riding. It has been initiated by the Advisory Committee on Packaging. Quarterly exporter and reprocessor data will be published on the database’s website and regularly revised to take account of late submissions.
User’s Guide to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 (as amended)
This version of the User’s Guide updates the original User’s Guide which was published in 1997. The User’s Guide is only available electronically at this stage. The Government has consulted on future business targets and other changes to the Regulations and an updated version of the User’s Guide will be published.
- User's Guide to the Packaging Regulations (PDF 350 KB) - published 2003
Packaging fact finding mission reports
Since 2002, Defra has initiated a series of fact finding missions into allegations of inappropriate issue of Packaging Waste Recovery Notes (PRNs) and Packaging Waste Export Recovery Notes (PERNs) in the paper, plastic and wood packaging waste industries. The findings of these missions may be found below. Conclusions in the paper packaging waste industry were announced in a news release on 15 August 2006.
These audits were conducted by a team consisting of a representative of one or more of the three Agencies, a consultant auditor and on some visits, a representative of Defra or the appropriate devolved administration.
Advisory Committees
WRAP franchise report
WRAP was commissioned by the Scottish Executive in 2004 to establish how much packaging was being used by franchised and tenanted pub sectors and how much of this packaging is the subject of recovery and recycling obligations.
Earlier material
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Page last modified:
11 March 2008
Page published: 5 February 2003