Waste management firm SUEZ today called for an overhaul of the PRN system, accusing producers of just “buying compliance” from “remote central bodies or compliance schemes”.
And, producers of packaging also faced criticism from the Recycling Association for failing to pay enough towards recycling as well as coming under fire from the Local Government Association for failing to engage with local authorities.
Some of the most strident comments came from David Palmer-Jones, chief executive of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK who said there needs to be “fundamental reform of the schemes for collecting packaging waste.”
Producers of packaging are ‘just buying’ compliance, according to waste firm SUEZ UK
And, he hit out at the current system which he said sees the “financial burden for collection of waste resources” resting “solely on local authorities and others”.
Urging producers to follow a circular economy approach, Mr Palmer-Jones declared: “It is time to put an end to collection schemes where producers are often seen to ‘buy compliance’ and instead ensure producers take responsibility on behalf of their consumers and customers of what they produce, encouraging them to be part of the solution and not kept at not arm’s length through remote central bodies or compliance schemes.”
His comments came in the wake of a National Audit Office report on packaging waste today (23 July), (see letsrecycle.com story).
Producers
In terms of who Mr Palmer-Jones and other critics meant by “producers” he was referring to three of the four categories of “producers” involved in the current PRN system. These are, at the beginning of the chain, the raw material producers (such as a steelworks), converters (such as rolling plants), and packer fillers (such as food and drinks producers).
Recycling Association
The Recycling Association too took a swipe at producers saying the NAO study “highlights the need for those who produce packaging to do more to fund its recycling.”
Chief executive Simon Ellin said: “At the moment, approximately 10% of the cost of recycling is funded by retailers and manufacturers via the PRN system. But we would like to see this increase to at least 80% and probably 90%.”
Councils
Local authorities accused the packaging industry of failing to engage with them, which surprised some in the packaging sector because council representatives have been involved in talks about the future of the PRN system ahead of the new Resources and Waste Strategy.
Cllr Judith Blake of the Local Government Association said the packaging industry has failed to talk to the association
Cllr Judith Blake, environment spokesman at the Local Government Association, said: “Councils have long called for the packaging industry to get around the table with us to reduce the amount of unrecyclable material that goes into packaging. Manufacturers should take this opportunity and work with us to discuss ways in which we can make packaging more recyclable.
“Local authorities are determined to do all they can to help improve recycling rates, and regularly update residents with information and campaigns to increase the amount of waste that can be recycled. It’s time for the wider industry to follow this lead, contribute more to recycling and waste management, and help us reduce waste at the point of source, to stop unrecyclable material becoming an issue in the first place.”
Packaging sector
Responding to the criticism of the packaging industry, Paul Vanston, chief executive of Incpen, said that local authorities had been involved in talks about the system.
Mr Vanston said: “The ongoing discussions around reform of the PRN system have involved both ourselves and local authorities which includes direct involvement of the LGA in the WRAP/ACP/Incpen discussions and there have also been one-to-one meetings.”
He added: “There has been shared agreement on reform of the system in the discussions and the quality of the engagement has been thorough and ongoing for some time now.”
Related links
National Audit Office
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Source: letsrecycle.com Packaging
