From http://www.packagingnews.co.uk
The Government has confirmed that it will legislate later this year for increased statutory packaging recycling targets from 2013-2017 in a bid to stop recyclable materials going to landfill.
In the Budget, that was published earlier today, the Government announced that targets will increase annually by 3% for aluminium, 5% for plastic and 1% for steel. Glass recycling targets will be split by end use.
‘Great news’
Speaking about the news,Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:“The Chancellor’s announcement today to introduce more ambitious packaging recycling targets is great news for the waste industry, the economy and the environment.
“As well as stopping around 400,000 tonnes of waste going to landfill, by recycling materials businesses will also be able to lower their costs.
“The recycling industry continues to grow and the extra stimulus of the higher targets will keep that going, driving investment in waste infrastructure to create new jobs.”
Eco Plastics managing director Jonathan Short added: “The Government should be commended for sticking to its guns and introducing escalating mandatory recycling targets.
“They will deliver a range of economic and environmental benefits and will underpin investment in crucial processing infrastructure.
“However, it is essential that targets are accompanied by other changes. The cost of compliance will increase which is long overdue but we also need to ensure the PRN system no longer favours the exporter at the expense of the domestic reprocessor.
“We also need to see an improvement in the enforcement of trans-frontier waste shipments and introduce an effective consumer messaging campaign.
“Without these measures the targets will simply be a case of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, encouraging the loss and export of valuable resource and with it, green jobs.”
New targets
Plans for tougher recycling targets for businesses were launched for consultation by Defra in December 2011. Despite criticism from some industry members such as the British Plastics Federation, the Budget confirms that these proposals will be taken forward.
The proposed new targets are:
The proposed targets would also see glass recycling split into sub-categories to boost the amount of glass that is re-melted. This is more environmentally friendly than using it as an aggregate in such things as building materials.
Paper and wood recycling targets will remain unchanged as the UK is currently achieving 81.9% and 75.4% for these materials respectively.
The Government is also considering proposals for landfill restrictions for wood to be announced later this year.
In a statement, Defra said: ” The new targets for packaging producers outlined in the Budget will also ease the demand on raw natural materials and improve resource efficiency by making more recyclable materials available for businesses. ”
‘A fantastic boost to the industry’
Closed Loop Recycling chief executive Chris Dow added:“The new packaging target of 57% is a fantastic boost to the industry. We are still, however, calling for a reform the PRN and PERN system, as this goes hand in hand with the new targets to grow the industry and green jobs.
“In general, while the budget continues to support growing businesses by encouraging employment, innovation and continued private investment, it still doesn’t do anything to shift the log jam in lending to green businesses, despite the announcements yesterday.
“We are looking forward to further announcements from the UK Green Investment Bank as there is a pent up demand for some exciting infrastructure projects. Coupled with the change in planning to support sustainable infrastructure, this should grow the capacity of the industry to meet the new packaging targets.”
Carbon taxes
Elsewhere, in his Budget speech George Osborne mentioned the word ‘manufacturing’ once.
He also said that renewable energy will play a crucial part in Britain’s energy mix. He announced that a carbon price floor will be introduced into the tax system to encourage growth.
The Government will set 2014–15 carbon price support rates equivalent to £9.55 per tonne of carbon dioxide in line with the carbon price floor set out at Budget 2011.
The Government will also make a number of additional legislative provisions with effect from 1 April 2013 (Finance Bill 2012):
Environmental taxes
Reducing headline tax rates
The Government will also reduce the main rate of corporation tax by an additional 1% from April 2012. The rate will therefore fall by 2%, from 26% to 24% in April 2012, to 23% in April 2013 and to 22% in April 2014.
Manufacturing
In relation to manufacturing, the Government will launch sector-based reviews of regulation from April 2012 to ensure regulation is enforced at the lowest possible cost to business, starting with chemicals manufacturing, volunteer events and small businesses in food manufacturing.
The Government will invest £60m to establish a UK centre for aerodynamics to open in 2012–13 to support innovation in aerospace technology, commercialise new ideas and spin-off technologies with wider applications in other sectors.
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