Changes to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 will be introduced, following Parliamentary approval on 20th October 2005. The regulations apply to businesses handling over 50 tonnes of packaging each year with a turnover in excess of £2 million. Key features of the changes are as follows.

• Compliance costs will be more equitably distributed among businesses, because more businesses will be involved in increasing the UK’s packaging waste recycling rate, thus also keeping individual recovery and recycling targets lower than they might otherwise be.
• Leased packaging, such as pallets and crates, will now be fully covered by the regulations, subject to Parliamentary approval.
• Some of the administrative and cost burdens will be eased for smaller businesses following the proposal to simplify small businesses’ data requirement.

New Regulations detailing the approved amendments are expected in November 2005, to come into force in January 2006. For more information on the amendments, visit: http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/051020c.htm

Source: www.defra.gov.uk (accessed 11/11/05)

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