BUREAU Veritas has welcomed the impending new UK plastics packaging tax, which will see manufacturers and importers whose products have less than 30% recyclable material be charged £200 per tonne.
The move comes as the UK Government looks to increase the use of recycled plastic in packaging by 40%.
Bureau Veritas has said that the packaging levy is likely to “…aid companies looking to incorporate the principles of circular economy into their operations by helping to create new markets for recyclable materials that have traditionally ended up in landfill.”
David Murray, technical director for sustainability at Bureau Veritas, commented, “The UK’s plastic tax announcement reflects the prevailing public sentiment that businesses should be doing more to combat the level of plastic waste that is having a detrimental impact on our environment.
“The levy will provide a real boost for the UK’s mission to move towards a circular economy as to will undoubtedly help to unlock future investment in recycling infrastructure. It will also allow the resources and waste sector to utilise valuable materials that have traditionally been lost to export markets.
“On a wider scale, this will have huge implications for the rising number of businesses we’ve seen in recent years looking to embed sustainability into their operations by adopting circular economy principles. For instance, the policy is likely to boost the recycling rates of the entire supply chain – from procurement to disposal – reducing waste output as well as spurring more sustainable product design. It will also help to drive a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) profile and according to latest research3 offers real benefit in cost-savings through improved efficiencies across for the UK manufacturing sectors in particular.”
