Tough 2002 targets for business recycling under Packaging Regs

Businesses will have to meet targets of 59 per cent recovery and 19 per cent material- specific recycling of packaging waste under the Packaging Regulations in 2002. These replace the 2001 targets of 56 per cent recovery and 18 per cent material-specific recycling.

The Government intends to recover nearly five million tonnes of packaging waste in 2002 as a result of the new business recovery and recycling targets announced today by Environment Minister Michael Meacher.

Obligations on business

The Government introduced the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations in 1997 (as amended in SI 1361, SI 3447 in 1999, SI 2000 No. 3375 and SSI 2000 451) to implement the Directive's recovery and recycling targets. The regulations place on certain businesses three main obligations:

(i) to register with the Environment Agency and provide data on the packaging handled by the business;

(ii) to carry out specified tonnages of recovery and recycling of packaging waste, calculated on the basis of the tonnage handled by the business, the national recovery and recycling targets for the year and the percentage obligation for the activity that the business carries out on packaging; and

(iii) to certify that the necessary recovery and recycling has been carried out. In addition, consumer information obligations are placed on businesses that sell packaging to the final user or consumer.

Any business handling more than 50 tonnes of packaging and with financial turnover of more than £2 million will be obligated if it performs one or more of the following activities: manufacturing raw materials for packaging; converting materials into packaging; filling packaging; selling packaging to the final user; importing packaging or packaging materials into the UK.

Members can get more information about the Packaging Regulations in the new Guide to Environmental Management Law and Practice 2002 (£49.50, 10% discount for members). Visit the e-shop for details, or call Membership Services on (0870) 777 0202.
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