Industry bodies have given their views on business packaging targets after a Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) consultation called for opinions on changes to the plastic packaging recycling targets for 2016-17 as well as new targets for plastic and glass for 2018-20.

The UK’s Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations require producers of packaging to ensure that a proportion of the packaging they handle is recovered and recycled.

After the Plastic Flow plastic packaging market study, carried out by Valpak and the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in 2014, found that the amount of plastic packaging on the market was significantly lower than estimates made in 2011/12, Defra is considering making changes to the targets.

The market report’s findings suggest that targets currently contained in the regulations are based on the expectation of much higher waste arisings, meaning that it would be possible to reduce the business targets on obligated producers and still maintain a similar recycling rate.

The current plastic targets set a 52 per cent goal for business plastic packaging recycling in 2016, rising to 57 per cent in 2017. The target for glass recycling is consistent at 77 per cent. Domestic targets for all materials expire in 2017, and so the consultation also asked stakeholders to give their views on new targets for glass and plastic for 2018-20.

The consultation, which closed on 23 December, proposed five options for plastic and glass targets until 2020:

• Do not amend plastic targets, then keep it at 57 per cent to 2020;
• Amend the existing plastic target to 48 per cent in 2016, then increase it by one per cent each year to 2020;
• Amend the existing plastic target to 49 per cent in 2016, then increase it by two per cent each year to 2020;
• Do not amend the existing glass target, then keep it at 77 per cent to 2020; or
• Do not amend the existing glass target, then increase it by one per cent to 2020.

In the consultation letter, Defra stated that the third option, lowering the target to 49 per cent and then increasing it by two per cent each year, would be its preferred course of action. This would see the eventual target for plastic packaging recycling reach 57 per cent, the current target for 2017, by 2020. Option two would result in a 2020 target of 52 per cent, an estimated difference of 94,658 tonnes of packaging.

Lower targets would send ‘poor signals’

Lowering the targets would send ‘poor signals to investors and [imply] a lack of commitment by government that appears willing to reduce targets whenever a stormy period takes place’, according to the Resource Association, which represents reprocessors of various materials throughout the UK.

The body noted in its response that the consultation came ‘during a period of significant pressure for many in the recycling and reprocessing industries’, but added that despite these challenges faced across the industry, reducing packaging targets would be a poor signal of intent.

Regarding future plastics targets, the Resource Association stated that it would support keeping the 2020 target at 57 per cent, the highest of any option included in the consultation.

Chief Executive Ray Georgeson wrote: ‘The issues that underpin many of the challenges faced by industry in keeping recycling and reprocessing profitable and sustainable are similar to those that need tackling more broadly by government if it is to reach and exceed its current municipal and packaging recycling targets…

‘Government has to tackle these challenges in the round, as well as others that impact on the long-term health of our industry and our ability to play our full part in meeting our shared objectives for high-quality and high-volume recycling, resource efficiency and a circular economy. Industry remains very willing to play its full part in tackling these challenges, but we still need government to lead and send clear signals of intent.’

Ambition depends on LA collection progress

In contrast, RECOUP (Recycling Of Used Plastics), an organisation that represents members from across the plastic production, supply, collection and recycling chain, supported the idea of reducing business targets and extending future targets until 2020.

However, it stated that whether a one or two per cent annual increase presents the best option depends on the expected final tonnage that will be achieved in 2015, and how any resulting carryover influences the ability to meet targets; the likelihood of increased collections from households; and the interpretation of the expected prevailing market conditions and risks in the 2016-20 period.

RECOUP noted that the introduction of new kerbside pot, tub and tray (PTT) collection services has slowed in recent years, with 289 local authorities (LAs) currently known to be collecting PTT as part of their collection services. These, it stated, recover a reported 155,000 tonnes of material for recycling, before system and contamination losses are accounted for. If every LA in the UK collected PTTs, RECOUP estimates that an additional 55,000 tonnes of plastic packaging would be recovered every year. It also expects ‘nominal uplifts’ in plastic bottle collections, but admits that ‘this is largely dependent on increased use of existing services by consumers’.

Ambition needed in glass recycling

The Resource Association called the proposal to keep the existing glass target and increase it by one per cent every year until 2020 (resulting in an 80 per cent target that year) as ‘the only supportable option’. Higher ambition, it says, is ‘necessary for the health and long-term success of the UK glass recycling and reprocessing sector’.

British Glass, which represents more than 70 organisations from across the glass sector, also recommended an increase in the glass recycling target. This, it says, would ‘allow the UK to continue to gradually increase the national recycling rate in line with proposed EU targets’. It added: ‘In previous years the lack of increase in targets has resulted in market stagnation’.

However, the trade association notes that while this would be the best option at this time, any proposals arising from discussions on the circular economy should be ‘incorporated into the UK as soon as possible’.

An impact assessment of the proposed changes to packaging recycling targets can be found on Defra’s website.