Representatives from across the waste sector will this week (17 March) sit before cross-party MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee, which is holding two evidence sessions on the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
The committee first announced in February that it will launch an enquiry into the DRS (see letsrecycle.com story), saying it wants to “help frame the scheme to ensure it increases recycling and reduces waste, without creating unintended consequences”.
A DRS places a deposit on certain drinks containers which is refunded when returned at a collection point
The first of the two sessions on Wednesday will comprise of representatives from the packaging materials sector, including aluminium, plastic and glass.
These will include Rick Hindley, executive director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), Barry Turner, director of plastic and flexible packaging at the British Plastics Federation, and Dr Nicholas Kirk, technical director at British Glass.
‘Practicalities’
On the second panel, starting at 3.20 pm, there will be experts from the waste sector to talk about the scheme’s “practicalities”.
These will include Samantha Harding, executive director at Reloop, Lee Marshall, CEO of Larac, and Martin Curtois, external affairs director of Veolia.
The evidence session comes as further government consultation on the DRS is expected to launch this month.
Inquiry
The EAC invited written submissions from interested parties by 5 March on several areas relating to the DRS, which included the potential relationship between the DRS and other packaging waste initiatives promoted under the Resources and Waste Strategy.
Philip Dunne is chair of the EAC
The DRS will work by placing a small deposit on certain drinks containers which is refunded to the customer when the container is returned at a collection point. However ahead of the governments second consultation, it is unclear whether the scheme will operate as an ‘all-in’ model, an ‘on-the-go’ model.
The government has indicated that it wishes to introduce a DRS from 2023.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
