In a statement, the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has called on the UK Government to reinstate the 2023 start date for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.
The new legislation was due to be rolled out in 2023, following announcements in 2018 and consultations in 2019 and 2021. Earlier this month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced its delay, with no new date set.
The legislation will see producers pay the full net costs of disposal for the packaging they use to wrap, sell, and transport products, with councils being the recipient of this fee. A delay in implementation, NLWA says, will see council taxpayers ‘continue to foot the bill instead’.
When the delay was announced, industry association LARAC stated that it was 'concerned' to learn of the development, noting that its members had delayed new procurements, implementing interim contracts and extensions to allow them ‘go to the market with confidence and a strong offer’ once guidance on consistent collections, EPR and DRS had been fully clarified.
NLWA has also called for a series of interim measures to be urgently introduced, including the extension of EPR to short-lived, unrecyclable items; a consultation in 2022 on extending EPR to difficult-to-recycle large items; funding and powers for local authorities to make recycling compulsory; an increase in the current packaging levy from 10 to 30 per cent, and a 50p charge on disposable coffee cups to incentivise a switch to reusables.
Cllr Clyde Loakes, NLWA Chair, said: “This legislation and the passporting of the funds to councils was a welcome initiative, but now the Government is just kicking the can down the road.
“The delay on EPR is very regrettable – why should council taxpayers have to continue to pay for producers to make profits on products with unsustainable packaging or products that don’t last, are poorly designed and are unrepairable? Should common sense and climate-sensitive policy initiatives like this really take so long to design and implement? It really isn't good enough.
“There are producers who have dramatically improved their packaging and product design, but they are still the exception. Sustainable packaging must become the norm. EPR would help bring about a sea change in design, ensuring that products and packaging are more sustainable and recyclable, as well as helping councils fund the service and behavioural change initiatives that are required in their local areas, to secure a step-change in how we view our waste.
“We also need a commitment that money raised from EPR – expected to be about £1 billion – all goes to local government. This would allow proceeds from the levy to be ringfenced for waste prevention initiatives as well as measures to help remove the structural barriers to recycling, which are stalling rates across London.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.