Impact of Waste Packaging Consultation on Lighting Producers

The government has recently launched a major review of waste packaging legislation. The proposals could result in producer costs for waste packaging increasing up to ten times, by 2023.  The Government’s objective is to ensure that producers pay the full cost of the collection and recycling of consumer packaging, and to incentivise improved environmental outcomes.

The 125 page consultation document has 95 separate questions. Several of these could have a significant impact on larger lighting producers.

The proposals include:

• A very large increase in charges to producers, covering the “net cost” incurred by Local Authorities. The EU Circular Economy Package suggested that producers should be responsible for at least 80% of net costs, but the Government proposes increasing this to 100%.
  The Recolight view is that 80% and not 100% would be logical.  It both controls Producer costs, and importantly ensures Local Authorities are incentivised to keep these costs down.
• Incentives for producers to use recyclable packaging – and penalties for hard to recycle packaging such as polystyrene, and composite materials.
• Recommendations that producers should be finance national consumer awareness campaigns. These will add further cost to producers.
• Mandatory recyclability labelling requirements for packaging

A summary of the proposals is available from Recolight at members@recolight.co.uk

The consultation closes on 13 May.