EPR – do the Government proposals hit the mark and how can the value chain come together to make them a reality?

• On 26 March 2022, Defra published its summary of consultation responses and its own considerations for the rollout of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in all four nations, detailing costs, timescales and materials in scope for EPR and providing some insights on the proposals for deposit return scheme (DRS).

   

  Amongst the Government's response were higher recycling targets for some materials, not including litter costs for England and Northern Ireland, an unspecified delay to the introduction of full net cost recovery for business waste and glass not being a target item for DRS in England and Northern Ireland.

   

  The much-awaited plans come after almost 12 months of consultation and debates with feedback from the resources industry, brands, local authorities and reprocessors being widespread and varied. So, with a new and properly functioning EPR scheme being key to resource efficiency and greater recycling, do the proposals hit the mark? How do we work to ensure the success of EPR and the critical role it plays in the overall delivery of the Resource and Waste Strategy? Will a delay in modulation of packaging items cause any issues, will full net cost for municipal and not business skew the market and will uncertainty on when DRS plans are to be implemented further delay planning for change?

   

  With EPR critical to helping close the loop on materials management, providing incentives to prevent waste at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals it remains as critical as it always has been.

   

  The panel

  Session will be chaired by our very own Dr Adam Read, and the panel will include:

  • Nick Kirk, British Glass
  • Tom Giddings, ALUPRO
  • Mickey Green Somerset Waste Partnership
  • Stuart Hayward-Higham, SUEZ

   

  Join our 60-minute webinar, which brings together experts from across the value chain to discuss, dissect and debate the Government’s response to EPR and the next wave of proposals will pave the way for much needed legislative reform in all four nations.

• Access the recording here