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Extended Producer Responsibility: Difference between revisions
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[[Extended Producer Responsibility]] ([[EPR]]) is an environmental policy approach through which a producer's responsibility for a product is extended to the post-use stage<ref>[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955897/waste-management-plan-for-england-2021.pdf Waste Plan for England Jan 2021]</ref>. | [[Extended Producer Responsibility]] ([[EPR]]) is an environmental policy approach through which a producer's responsibility for a product is extended to the post-use stage<ref>[https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/955897/waste-management-plan-for-england-2021.pdf Waste Plan for England Jan 2021]</ref>. | ||
[[DEFRA]] set out in its Resources and Waste Strategy<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resources-and-waste-strategy-for-england/resources-and-waste-strategy-at-a-glance</ref> its intention to review existing [[Producer Responsibility]] systems (between 2021 and 2024) and | ==Context== | ||
[[DEFRA]] set out in its Resources and Waste Strategy<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/resources-and-waste-strategy-for-england/resources-and-waste-strategy-at-a-glance</ref> its intention to review existing [[Producer Responsibility]] systems (between 2021 and 2024). The consultation process culminated with a publication of the outputs in March 2022 (see below) and the obligation to commence collecting data started in January 2023 for [[Packaging Waste|packaging waste]]. | |||
==Current Status== | |||
The statutory instrument placing a requirement on producers of packaging to collect and report data was placed in [[Wikipedia:Parliament of the United Kingdom | Parliament]] on 22nd November 2022<ref>https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2022/9780348241549/contents</ref> and guidance on how to collect packaging data was issued on the 24th November 2022<ref>https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-collect-your-packaging-data-for-extended-producer-responsibility</ref>, with obligated companies required to collect data from 1st January 2023. Webinar guidance was made available via [[Wikipedia: YouTube|YouTube]] in late November 2022<ref>https://consent.youtube.com/m?continue=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DUxOqT570UR8%26list%3DPL8GdyULfgggioEy6uVDW9JsCFJvY68Oki%26index%3D1%26cbrd%3D1&gl=GB&m=0&pc=yt&hl=en-GB&src=1</ref>. | |||
==Consultation Process== | |||
===Context=== | |||
The first stage consultation on reforming the UK packaging producer responsibility system opened in February and closed in May 2019<ref>https://consult.defra.gov.uk/extended-producer-responsibility/consultation-on-reforming-the-uk-packaging-produce/</ref>. The second stage consultation opened in March 2021 and closed in June 2021<ref>https://consult.defra.gov.uk/extended-producer-responsibility/extended-producer-responsibility-for-packaging/</ref>. Guidance was published for businesses in how to prepare for [[EPR]] in October 2022<ref>https://www.gov.uk/guidance/packaging-waste-prepare-for-extended-producer-responsibility</ref> which was updated in March 2023. | |||
This consultation was launched in parallel with consultations on the [[Consistency in Recycling Collections in England]] and the implementation of a [[Deposit Return Scheme]] ([[DRS]]) in England, in conjunction with the devolved administration in Wales and [[DAERA]] in Northern Ireland. | |||
In addition, future potential has been identified to develop new schemes for five new waste streams by 2025 (two by 2022): | |||
* [[Textiles]] | * [[Textiles]] | ||
* [[Bulky Waste]] | * [[Bulky Waste]] | ||
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* Fishing gear | * Fishing gear | ||
The | ===Consultation Response=== | ||
It was initially believed the government would publish its responses to the consultations by the end of October 2021, however due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deputy director for resources and waste at [[DEFRA]] said at [[RWM Exhibition|RWM]] the way forward will be published "later this year or early next" <ref>LetsRecycle, https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/defra-could-publish-consultation-responses-next-year, Published September 23rd 2021/</ref>. The actual consultation response was published in March 2022<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-and-packaging-waste-introducing-extended-producer-responsibility#full-publication-update-history</ref> with a review planned for the [[EPR]] system application to business wastes for 2026 to 2027. As part of this delayed implementation, the stated intention is to extend the [[PRN]]/[[PERN]] system, and a consultation on this was launched in parallel with the launch of the [[EPR]] consultation in March 2022<ref>https://consult.defra.gov.uk/packaging-extended-producer-responsibility/reforms-to-the-prn-and-pern-systems/</ref>. | |||
===Key Outputs from the Consultation=== | |||
The summary of consultation responses was published on 26th March<ref>https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1063589/epr-consultation-government-response.pdf</ref> alongside more detailed analysis of the responses and the final impact assessment<ref>https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/packaging-and-packaging-waste-introducing-extended-producer-responsibility#full-publication-update-history</ref> on the 29th March 2022. The key outputs to be taken forwards into implementation are as follows, although the detail and deliverability is highlighted being requiring detailed work: | |||
* Implement [[EPR]] in a phased manner from 2024 focusing on household [[Packaging Waste|packaging waste]] | |||
* Introduce modulated fees based on 'recyclability' from 2025 - in Northern Ireland and England this excludes littered [[Packaging Waste|packaging waste]], but in Wales this may be included<ref>https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/welsh-government-goes-further-with-epr/</ref> | |||
* Continue with the current [[PRN]] system to demonstrate recycling obligations have been met (resulting in a consultation to improve the system, as noted above) | |||
* Create a task force to explore payments for [[Commercial Waste|commercial waste]] | |||
* Maintain the thresholds for [[Producer Responsibility]] [[Packaging Waste]] at £2m turnover and 50 tonnes of packaging, with a lower threshold of £1m and 25 tonnes for producers to report the packaging put on the market | |||
* Compostable biodegradable packaging will be required to be given a 'do not recycle' label until evidence can be built to safely collect and compost it separately | |||
* The scheme administrator (SA) will start to mobilise in 2023 and be fully operational by 2024 and likely to be within the public sector | |||
* The [[EPR]] scheme will be reviewed after two years of operation and include the outputs from the task force on [[Commercial Waste|commercial waste]] (i.e. 2026/2027) | |||
* The impact assessment shows the producer cost to be around £1.7bn each year, a reduction of £1bn on the previous scope of the consultation, which included commercial as well as household packaging waste | |||
The key decisions taken include: | |||
* Producers pay for the costs of managing [[Household Waste|household waste]], with payments made to local authorities for the collection of that packaging waste | |||
* Modulated fees to incentives the use of recyclable packaging from 2025 | |||
* Mandatory takeback scheme for the collection and recycling of fibre-based composite cups (disposable coffee cups) | |||
* Mandatory labelling of packaging for 'recyclability' with a single labelling format by March 2026, with plastic films by March 2027 | |||
* Addition of plastic film recycling for households and businesses by 31st March 2027 (to be added to the scope of [[Consistency in Recycling Collections in England|consistency in collection]]) | |||
* Annual packaging waste recycling targets to 2030 (targets set out in the document are summarised in the [[Packaging Waste]] page on WikiWaste against historical targets, which may exclude wood in the future) | |||
* Enhanced sampling to improve data on packaging waste (changes to frequency set out in the [[MRF Code of Practice]]) | |||
* Requirements for certain producers to report packaging placed on the market from 2024 | |||
* Strengthened requirements on reprocessors and exports | |||
* Appointment of Scheme Administrator during 2023 and full operation by 2024 | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||