Differentiating Packaging Fees
The introduction of new fee scales for producers of harder-to-recycle packaging is likely to have an impact on many UK packaging producers who do not meet new eco-design and recyclability criteria, according to leading resource efficiency specialist Ecosurety.
Norway and Germany have proposed legislation that will see producers paying more if they place complex packaging into either market, and France already charges producers more for harder-to-recycle packaging - with Italy looking to trial new fees next year).
The topic will be among those discussed during a one day international compliance seminar which is being organised by Ecosurety on 19 January in central London.
Monika Romansky, regulatory and public affairs manager with the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA) will deliver a keynote presentation at the event, focusing on WEEE and battery compliance outside the UK.
Fran Witthuhn, International Compliance specialist at Ecosurety, says: "In the UK producers pay a contribution towards the recycling industry, wheereas, in the rest of Europe producers finance the collection and recycling of packaging waste to encourage households to recycle more materials. The landscape is further complicated by the fact that if more and more EU countries adopt differentiated fees - an outline objective of the EU Circular Economy Package, each country could conceivably introduce different packaging design rules which will add cost and complexity when placing product in individual markets."
However, she also believes differentiated fees provide an opportunity for packaging producers to re-think their designs or practices to further increase long-term recycling levels as they will eventually represent an "opportunity to save money".
Other topics on the seminar's agenda include:
- Product stewardship and take-back outside of the EU (and particularly in North America, e-commerce and third party fulfilment).
- Evolving producer responsibility;
- Reforming the current packaging recovery note (PRN) system; and
- Ecosurety's solution, Circularety
A final round table discussion will feature an external speaker, with a number of practical sessions also to be held on how to assess producer obligations under WEEE, battery and packaging regulations abroad, and how to draw up a compliance management strategy for complex supply chain and distribution systems.
Attendees will be encouraged to describe their company's exporting experiences to help share knowledge and gain greater understanding of the available options and impacts when selling abroad.
A networking session aimed at helping producers who want all the facts that are required for making smart decisions as they head into 2017 will be held after the seminar has concluded.
The event will be held at Ashfords LLP, London, EC14 1AN, and more information is available from here.
