International food and drink group Princes has again committed to obtaining all of its packaging recycling evidence from UK reprocessors while at the same time raising transparency concerns over evidence from overseas.
A statement this week from Princes, which makes products such as Flora sunflower oil, sees it reiterating a pledge made first in 2018 to buy UK PRNs for 2020.
In essence, the commitment means that through its compliance scheme, Valpak, the company will only buy domestic PRNs (packaging waste recovery notes) rather than export PRNs (known as PERNs) which can be generated from reprocessing overseas, such as in south east Asia.
Princes has previously warned that through buying export PRNs, obligated businesses are moving potential investment into the UK’s recycling capacity to overseas plants instead. And the company is now also taking a stronger line over the “transparency” of export PRNs and overseas reprocessing.
In a statement, the company said: “Export PRNs (PERNs) are viewed as less transparent than their UK counterparts – whilst exporters are accredited by the Environment Agency, there is much more limited ability to ensure compliance on the reprocessors those exporters engage in other countries.”
Princes has highlighted a policy of buying UK PRNS to fund domestic investment
Princes said that its commitment to work with Valpak, its compliance scheme, to only purchase UK sourced PRNs will see it invest £4-5m in the UK’s recycling infrastructure this year. The figure appears to be significantly higher than in previous years, in 2018 Princes said it was spending £750,000 on PRNs.
The company is major operator in the plastic bottles sector and is estimated to produce about 7% of the UK’s plastic bottles through its supply of soft drinks and oils in its brands and retailer own label products.
Responsibility
David McDiarmid, Princes corporate relations director, said: “All of Princes current packaging obligations can be met by UK recyclers and we see it as our responsibility to do what we can to ensure our waste does not become Eastern Europe or South East Asia’s problem. We accept that increasing UK recycling capacity will take time and that some materials need to be recycled overseas but that is all the more reason why existing Packaging Waste Obligations need reform to encourage UK investment and speed up the process”.
“Meaningful PRN reform means significantly improved traceability and transparency of where waste is exported.”
Mr McDiarmid continued: “When we first became aware of the risk of UK packaging waste being irresponsibly treated overseas we took the decision that purchasing export PRNs when UK were available was wholly unacceptable and wherever possible should be avoided. To us, meaningful PRN reform means significantly improved traceability and transparency of where waste is exported and how producer responsibility monies are being invested in the UK. It should also mean addressing the current imbalance between PRNs and PERNs to make exports less favourable and allow the UK to grow domestic recycling. We hope this would lead to less price volatility for producers like Princes and our end consumers, but also help local authorities who are struggling with reduced budgets.”
‘Positive stance’
Adrian Hawkes, policy director at Valpak said: “We are delighted that Princes’ have taken this positive stance. It enables us as their compliance scheme to increase our focus on the long-term relationships with UK reprocessors that we have built up over many years. This in turn helps support programmes of investment into new UK recycling capacity and developing new markets and technology.”
Recycled content
Princes’ announcement comes in the wake of progress on its use of recycled plastic in recent years. The company has rolled out shrink-wrap packaging made from 50 percent post-consumer recycled waste, and implemented 51 percent recycled plastic in its soft drinks and oils range, as well as 30 percent recycled content in its HDPE drinks range.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
