THE Alliance for Fibre-Based Packaging has urged new UK prime minister Andy Burnham and the incoming nature and circular economy minister to remove the regulatory barriers holding back sustainable packaging innovation.
The organisation visited Downing Street on Friday and has warned that without immediate reform, the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) framework will ‘stifle’ investment in more sustainable packaging solutions.
The Alliance has now published a position paper detailing how the current pEPR framework risks ‘perverse’ outcomes. Manufacturers have warned that instead of encouraging innovation, it is creating market uncertainty that risks a return to single-use plastics.
Neil Whittall, co-chair of the Alliance, said, “Manufacturers and retailers share the government’s vision for a circular economy, but the current regulations punish the very innovations we need. By taking a step back and refining the packaging EPR framework, we can secure vital investment, create regional jobs and boost manufacturing. If we miss this window, we will see more plastic heading straight to landfill instead of more sustainable alternatives.”
To drive growth and increase recycling rates, the Alliance’s position paper outlines four key recommendations: partner with industry to redesign the pEPR fee structure so that it incentivises sustainable materials; implement a transparent Recycling Assessment Methodology (RAM) classification with clear phasing to provide businesses with the stability and certainty needed to innovate; release the underlying evidence and fee methodologies for both pEPR and RAM to rebuild industry confidence and transparency; and place consistent, simple household recycling at the heart of the national strategy to make sustainable choices easy for consumers.
