Packflow EPR report shows the scale of change for packaging waste producers

With only a week for industry to respond to the consultation on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging Waste, the UK’s largest compliance scheme, Valpak, has released detailed modelling for a range of the proposed options.

The report is the first of its kind. It incorporates data from Valpak’s Environment Product Information Centre (EPIC) database, which holds the most detailed metrics on packaging in the UK. Packflow EPR includes:

·      an overview of suggested EPR changes;

·      the impact on different areas of the supply chain;

·      new funding arrangements, and responsibilities placed on local authorities, councils and reprocessors; 

·      possible impacts on the environment; and,

·      scenarios showing the potential scale of fee modulation for packaging producers, including the impact of new responsibilities for the management of litter. The modulated fee system aims to encourage the design of more sustainable packaging. It involves higher fees for less recyclable packaging products, or for those which do not contain recycled material.

Packflow EPR analysis includes three modulation scenarios – one with a flat, per-tonne cost for recycling and disposal; a second that replaces the ‘flat rate’ with a three-tier, modulated value for each material; and a third ‘traffic-light’ method, which has the potential to drive positive change in packaging design, while also reflecting the likely distribution of costs, based on the recyclability of individual packaging.

James Skidmore, Head of Consulting at Valpak, said: “We already knew that overall costs for producers were set to rise from £230 million to £2.7 billion. However, under the modulated fee system, some packaging materials will bear a greater portion of the cost. Valpak's Packflow EPR breaks down the figures to forecast the impact on different materials. It also shows how responsibility and funding could be allocated through different areas of the supply chain.” 

Under the proposals outlined in the consultation, local authorities and councils will receive funding to pay for the collection and recycling of household packaging, packaging waste arising from C&I settings, and ground and bin litter. Recyclers and reprocessors are likely to benefit, both from the replacement of the volatile PRN system and from greater levels of material supply and demand for output.

The legislation is expected to come into effect in a phased approach from 2023. Under the new system, the financial obligation will move to a single point in the supply chain. Obligated businesses – proposed in the consultation to be brand owners and manufacturers – will be responsible for financing the whole lifecycle of packaging waste, including local authority collections and the management of litter.

Skidmore concluded: “We stand on the brink of the greatest changes to the Packaging Waste Regulations in a quarter of a century. Put simply, this consultation represents the most important opportunity for everyone to have their say into how the system could operate for a long time to come.

“In the midst of a climate crisis, recycling can have a big impact, but the potential costs to producers are huge, and ensuring value for money for consumers will be critical. The increase in packaging recycling resulting from the new system will generate a carbon reduction of 4.38 million tonnes between 2022 and 2032. The entire industry needs to make its voice heard, and Packflow EPR will help packaging producers to make an informed choice.”

To view the full report, visit: https://www.valpak.co.uk/more/material-flow-reports/packflow-epr

Ends

Editors notes

·      Valpak’s mission is to create a sustainable, waste-free world. We are driven, not by today. We are driven by tomorrow.

·      We help our clients to reduce waste and recycle more, continually innovating and using leading data science and expertise to inspire businesses, help push ourselves – and our industry – forward. We don’t just show our customers how to navigate waste regulations; we help them become more sustainable, through our ever-increasing capabilities and pioneering innovations.

·      Valpak is the largest environmental compliance scheme in the UK. We work with major names, such as J Sainsbury’s, ASOS, and Miele, and manages compliance for more than 2,000 businesses. In 2017, it celebrated its 20th anniversary.

·      Valpak is a Reconomy Group company. Reconomy is the UK’s largest provider of outsourced resource management and recycling services. It works with customers of all sizes across industry sectors, using a technology-enabled, value-added approach to help businesses reach its sustainability goals. Following the acquisitions of Noventiz and RLG in Germany in 2020, adding further specialism in compliance and international product returns, the Reconomy Group’s aim is to become the leading global provider of services to drive the circular economy.

·      Valpak services include:

o   Compliance under Waste Packaging, WEEE, and Battery Directives.

o   Data insights.

o   International compliance.

o   Recycling services (total waste management options and solutions for niche materials).

o   Consultancy.

o   Accreditation under environmental schemes, such as Zero Waste to Landfill. 

·      Valpak invests in pioneering systems and expertise which enable its customers to analyse, assess and improve product design. The Product Data Hub, Insight Platform and dedicated teams work together to drive change.