A new look at waste and producer responsibility for recycling
July 02, 2021The need to recycle to reduce waste is an especially pressing issue in terms of packaging. Many products come with large amounts of, typically unrecyclable, packaging that is generating a waste problem. The issue spans the consumables market, affects products ranging from foodstuffs to takeout coffee and is an ongoing stumbling block in terms of litter and landfill. In a recent article for ENDS Report magazine, Andrew Sowerby, Senior Waste Management Consultant at RSK Environment, discussed the importance of producers taking responsibility for the waste their products generate. A consultation was launched in April this year to advise on a new and reformed extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme in the UK.
This new consultation, which closed on 4 June, aimed to โdefine key elements of the proposed schemeโ, including cost, obligations, governance and regulation. The existing EPR scheme, introduced in the UK in 1997, is now outdated and insufficient to contend with the scale of the problem almost 25 years later. The proposed policy aims to make โpackaging producers responsible for the full net costs of managingโ the packaging they place on products that reach the market. This takes the cost away from taxpayers and waste management contractors. Intended to โencourage producers to questionโ whether the product packaging is necessary and appropriately recyclable, the scheme transfers more responsibility for the waste created back to the producer. The EPR sets targets for the recycling of the โsix main packaging materialsโ that are most commonly used: paper, glass, aluminium, steel, plastic and wood. It is envisaged that new targets will be introduced to take into account the growing use of materials such as composites for cartons and some paper cups.
The proposed new scheme is expected to drastically increase the commitment made by producers by lowering the thresholds on turnover and the amount of packaging handled annually to require more businesses to register. The new scheme is expected to cost producers ยฃ2.7 billion in its first year, a significant increase on the current costs of ยฃ200โ300 million per year. The increased cost to producers will be a reflection of the increase in the associated costs of the materials used in packaging.
Subscribers to ENDS Report can read Andrewโs article in full online.
๐ Grace Kassimoto is the only acoustic specialist from and working in East Africa.
๐ In our latest #ADayInTheLife, she discusses how she is leading the way for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry and what she enjoys most about her role.
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๐ข We are proud to sponsor the #GreenEnergyAwards 2022, an event organized by Scottish Renewables
๐ This ceremony aims to recognise the inspirational organisations, people and projects going above and beyond to make a real difference to the health, wealth, and wellbeing of Scotland
We can't wait to see you there!
๐
1st December 2022
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Amazing pictures from @crcivils taken on-site at A47 Guyhirn.
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๐ Concern was recently raised in France with regards to the health of marine ecosystems.
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๐ข November is a month dedicated to menโs health.
๐ On November 19th, we celebrated #InternationalMensDay, a global holiday that highlights the positive value men bring to the world.
๐ค This year, men around RSK are taking part in #Movember, an initiative that involves growing a moustache during November to raise awareness of menโs health issues.
๐ We want to thank Greg Cole, James May, Jiano Pulickal, Matthew Bayliff, Maxwell Robinson, Sam Oakley, Tom Llewellyn, Tom Semmens and Yusuf Aoulad-Ali for participating in this great initiative!
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๐ข We are delighted to share that ZED, an RSK company, has been involved in producing an energy model and Part L compliance verification for a new sustainable construction project by the hit @BBC show DIY SOS.
๐ DIY SOS is a show centred around helping transform houses across Britain and this project is part of the #ChildrenInNeed 2022 campaign.
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๐ฎ โThe UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Building with Nature can help clients understand how they can utilise best-practice green infrastructure solutions to deliver developments that are better for both people and nature.โ
๐ In the November edition of our #employeespotlight, we spoke with Joanne Mayneord, Senior Landscape Architect at @stephensonhalliday, who has recently been certified by Building with Nature as an Approved Assessor.
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