EPR INSIGHT
Taking
Responsibility Welcome to the complicated era of updated EPR obligations. Former PAPA chairman, Richard Harrow, offers key advice around legislation requirements. COLLECTING IN FULL We are fast approaching the biggest change as to how the cost of household collection and recycling is paid for since the current Packaging Waste Regulations were introduced in 2007. The last government passed legislation called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in April 2024, resulting in the total costs of household waste collection and recycling being passed back to industry. In fact, the legislation goes further because industry will also be required to pay for litter bin collections in public areas. Predictions vary for the total figure, however in 2022, Defra estimated a cost of £1.7 billion – although there is expectation the total could exceed £3bn. It has also been advised that an audit 14 P&P_225_Dec24_p14-15_Richard Harrow DPS_JB AB.indd 14
of public litter bin contents will take place to identify the most discarded items, with additional costs then being levied. We do not know exactly how this will work but it is anticipated to impact items such as takeaway pizza cartons. We will also see the introduction of modulated fees, whereby materials that are harder to recycle will attract higher costs per tonne. Defra is reportedly publishing guidance soon. The legislation has been designed to capture as many operators placing packaging onto the market as possible. There are seven types of company or routes to market defined within scope: ● Brand owner ● Packer/filler ● Importer or first owner
Distributor (imports unfilled packaging for onward supply) ● An online marketplace ● A service provider (reusable packaging trays/baskets, etc) ● A seller. This is fundamentally different from 2007 regulations that required each part of the supply chain to pay a proportion of the cost. The 2007 ●
www.pizzapastamagazine.co.uk 13/12/2024 16:29