Resources minister Therese Coffey has defended the ‘Green Dot’ packaging labelling system after criticism from MPs.
The minister faced questions from the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee yesterday morning (17 July) as part of its inquiry into plastic packaging waste.
Environment Minister Therese Coffey alongside Defra’s deputy director, waste and recycling, Chris Preston
The wide-ranging evidence session saw Dr Coffey pressed on policies stemming from the government’s Resources and Waste Strategy, funding for local authorities, compostable plastics and recycling labelling for products.
Dr Coffey also revealed that the government is looking towards a ‘modulated fees’ extended producer responsibility (EPR) model as its favoured option from the
Green Dot
On the Green Dot, Labour MP Kerry McCarthy quizzed the minister on whether she thought that the system added to confusion amongst the public over whether certain types of packaging can be recycled.
The Green Dot is recognisable on a host of packaging goods across Europe, and if it is displayed on a product it denotes that a company has complied with packaging waste legislation within the market it is sold. However, critics claim that consumers mistake this to mean that packaging is recyclable.
Dr Coffey said that through mandating local authorities to collect a specific set of materials from the kerbside, and improving on-pack recycling labelling, the government’s Resources and Waste Strategy will help to reduce confusion about materials that are recyclable.
Critics say that the presence of the Green Dot on packaging which cannot be recycled through local authority kerbside collection schemes is confusing to the public
“We think a separate label is needed and by mandating what councils need to collect it should become more straightforward rather than the current thing where it depends on your local authority,” she said, adding: “We want the labelling to be quite clear about what can be recycled.”
This prompted questions about the Green Dot, and whether it would continue to confuse consumers if it is used on packaging, alongside any new labelling that may arise as a result of changes being looked at by the government.
She responded: “I understand that, and what I hope is that the on-pack labelling will make it much more straightforward to people and manufacturers can decide whether it is worthwhile putting that green dot on there.”
“I don’t think it is misleading because it is not suggesting the packaging is recycled.”
“I don’t think it is misleading because it is not suggesting the packaging is recycled,” she added.
Packaging reform
During the session, Dr Coffey also outlined some of Defra’s thinking about options for an EPR model for packaging, revealing that the Department favours the ‘modulated fees’ model, which would see packaging producers pay costs based upon the recyclability of the packaging they place onto the market.
The option was one of two outlined in the government’s EPR consultation in February, alongside a system where producers pay a deposit and are refunded based on the recyclability of their products.
Dr Coffey said: “In response to the consultation, particularly on modulated fee or the deposit way of dealing with packaging I think I am minded to go with a modulated fee and that is in line with what has come back from industry, but that decision has still to be finalised.”
Deposit return scheme
“I think I am minded to go with a modulated fee”
The minister also batted back concerns over the impact of a deposit return scheme (DRS) on the income for council derived from kerbside collections, if they lose out on valuable commodities such as PET plastic bottles or aluminium cans to a retailer takeback system.
This followed the statement from the Environment Secretary Michael Gove the previous day that he favoured an ‘all-in’ DRS system encompassing drinks packaging of all sizes (see letsrecycle.com story).
Responding to concerns raised by local authorities, Dr Coffey said: “What matters is that we just need to get more recycled. The kerbside recycling has plateaued by and large. In some areas its gone down in other areas its going up. We are removing the exemption so they have to collect certain categories of plastic and we are not dictating how they do it.
“I have heard their concerns but we believe that through the new EPR system, the amount of money going to local authorities for the kerbside recycling will be significant and should not alarm them in terms of what they are trying to achieve in recycling at the kerbside.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
