A task force report published today (9 January) suggested that the WRAP charity could take on a new “monopolistic producer responsibility role” as seen in other countries such as Belgium and France.
The study, produced by the Green Alliance, also called for the majority of the cost of local authority collections to be paid for by producers.
The Green Alliance report has a focus on packaging and recycling costs
It cites monopolistic producer responsibility schemes as in Belgium and France as ways of working well on a national scale. And, under the heading, Make the most of WRAP, the Green Alliance argues that a more comprehensive approach to producer responsibility in England “would need to build on the lessons of schemes in Belgium and France, amongst others”.
The Green Alliance study explains: “One advantage England has in adapting models developed elsewhere is WRAP’s expertise. In part because of its knowledge of secondary materials markets, WRAP is well placed to provide the same advising and convening role that monopolistic producer responsibility schemes play in other countries.”
Coordinated by the Green Alliance think tank, the circular economy report also suggested that householders should be directly charged for waste collection if they fail to recycle.
Defra
The report comes at the same time as responses are submitted to Defra on the issue of producer responsibility with regard to packaging waste recycling targets for several materials until 2020. Defra is a significant funder of WRAP and the organisation has good links with the Green Alliance: WRAP’s chair is Julie Hill, former director of the Green Alliance.
The Circular Economy Task Force behind the report is supported by retailers Boots and Kingfisher, the Resource Association, S’Investec, Viridor and WRAP.
It came up with three main recommendations:
- Reward responsible companies
- Producers should help to pay for recycling
- Make the system fairer for local authorities
The report claims that these three actions “would lead to a better system for all, in which businesses, householders and local authorities could work together to reduce waste and increase recycling. Importantly, it would ensure a more equitable distribution of responsibilities and increase recycling rates, while reducing the overall cost of running the system.”
“Falling recycling rates show that a new approach is needed.”
Jonny Hazell
Green Alliance
Government comes under attack by the task force for “a patchwork of laws, leading to inefficient recycling systems… due to a mentality which has sought to comply with the letter, rather than the spirit, of the EU directives.
Dysfunctional
Commenting on the report, author Jonny Hazell from the Green Alliance, said: “Recycling in England has become dysfunctional. Businesses blame local authorities, local authorities blame businesses, and householders blame both. The only certain thing is that hard pressed councils are having to pick up an unfair share of the bill, despite their obvious financial constraints. But they have no power to bring down the costs. Falling recycling rates show that a new approach is needed.”
Related links
Green Alliance
WRAP
The post Study backs WRAP producer responsibility ‘monopoly’ role appeared first on letsrecycle.com.
Source: letsrecycle.com Packaging
