The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, is expected to unveil future target rates for the recycling of paper, steel, aluminium and wood packaging up to 2020 in his budget statement today (8 March).
Proposals to change the target levels for the materials up to the end of the decade were launched for consultation in November.
Defra has proposed new targets for paper, steel, aluminium and wood packaging
These included three options with a mix of keeping the targets at 2017 levels through to the end of the decade or varying increases for different materials (see letsrecycle.com story) – see below for a full outline of the proposed targets. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has expressed no preferred option for the future target rates.
2017 targets currently stand at 55% for aluminium, 76% for steel, 69.5% for paper, 22% for wood and 79% for recovery.
‘Challenging but sensible’
Commenting on the potential targets, Phil Conran, chair of the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) which advises the government on packaging, said: “Our hope is that the targets will be challenging but sensible. We have maintained that targets need to keep up momentum but do not create artificial cost.”
Compliance schemes in the packaging sector have expressed a split of views over the future of targets, with some, including Valpak advocating a steep rise in the target for aluminium, and a moderate increase for paper and steel – but with an increase in the wood target. Others, including Wastepack have opted in favour of a steeper rise in targets for paper and steel – but potential to adjust the wood target if it is to prove too challenging (see letsrecycle.com story).
Proposals outlined by Defra include:
Option 1: Static targets up to the end of the decade
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Paper | 69.5% | 69.5% | 69.5% |
| Aluminium | 55% | 55% | 55% |
| Steel | 76% | 76% | 76% |
| Wood | 22% | 22% | 22% |
| Recovery | 79% | 79% | 79% |
| Total Recycling | 72.7% | 72.7% | 72.7% |
Option 2: Steep rises for paper, wood and steel; moderate rise for aluminium
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Paper | 71% | 73% | 75% |
| Aluminium | 57% | 59% | 61% |
| Steel | 79% | 82% | 85% |
| Wood | 38% | 43% | 48% |
| Recovery | 80% | 82% | 85% |
| Total Recycling | 73.6% | 75.4% | 78.2% |
Option 3: Steep rise for aluminium; moderate rise for other materials
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
| Paper | 70% | 71% | 72% |
| Aluminium | 58% | 61% | 64% |
| Steel | 78% | 80% | 82% |
| Wood | 25% | 28% | 31% |
| Recovery | 80% | 81% | 82% |
| Total Recycling | 73.6% | 74.5% | 75.4% |
Aluminium
The aluminium target has also been in focus, with Alupro – the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation – calling for a ‘stretching but realistic’ target, and criticising the options outlined by Defra.
The call has been backed by the Resource Association, with the organisation’s chief executive Ray Georgeson commenting yesterday: “Alongside our colleagues at Alupro, we called on government to deliver greater ambition in aluminium packaging recycling targets by choosing their Option 3 and in addition a review of the current 2017 target to recognise that the existing target has already been exceeded and more ambition is required.
“The precedent was set last year with mid-year changes in plastics and glass and we urge the Chancellor to take the same approach in his announcements tomorrow.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Packaging
