Budding York artist wins school recycling competition

A pupil from Osbaldwick Primary Academy is celebrating, after winning a creative art competition organised by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

Launched in November in partnership with City of York Council, the initiative aimed to raise awareness of the importance of recycling among primary-aged pupils. With the Council having recently expanded kerbside recycling collections to include aluminium foil, the competition challenged budding artists to create an A4 poster incorporating used foil as an art material.

Esme Dumont won first place, having impressed the judges with her creative design. Alongside taking home a £50 cash prize, her school receives £500 in vouchers to spend on sustainable art supplies and activities.

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, commented: “As the voice of the UK aluminium packaging industry, we’re committed to increasing national recycling rates. Working closely with local authorities provides us with a great opportunity to encourage resident engagement.

“With York having expanded kerbside collections to include aluminium foil, it seemed the perfect opportunity to do something different to celebrate, while simultaneously helping to educate the next generation about the importance of sustainability. Esme’s design delivered on the brief perfectly, while also sending out a clear message about recycling aluminium foil.”

Ben Grabham, Head of Environmental Services at City of York Council, added: “I’d like to personally thank all of the students who took part in the competition, sharing their posters and learning more about recycling. This competition to raise awareness of what can be recycled at the kerbside is just the latest step in our work to expand and improve recycling and waste services across York.

“We know residents are already doing a fantastic job of recycling in York, with around 43 percent of all waste being either reused, recycled or composted. The addition of foil to kerbside collections will help us further boost our recycling rates and continue our work to make York more sustainable.”

For more information about recent changes to waste services across York, visit www.york.gov.uk/recycling.

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DEFRA CPR visioning sprint group – a summary of the experience

Late last year, DEFRA began the process of developing an industry engagement sprint with the aim of setting out a long term vision for the CPR (Collection and packaging reforms). CPR encapsulates EPR, DRS and consistent collections as a full package, with the vision an aim of what we (industry) would like the schemes to look like in 10 years’ time.

The sprints consisted of a number of sessions with DEFRA and Kainos consultancy (whom had been brought in as a facilitator) over a 9 week period from January – March. Martin Hyde took part in the sprints as an Alupro representative, below is a short summary of his visioning sprint experience.

What were the goals of the sprints?

DEFRA outlined several key aims of the sprint process which were:

  • Collaboratively define a longer-term vision for the Packaging Reforms
  • Identify strategic objectives to deliver the Packaging Reforms vision and identify the associated activities required to deliver and achieve the end state vision
  • Ensure all assumptions on achieving the objectives have been captured and risks and challenges identified.
  • Co create a shared high-level outcome focused roadmap for post 2023 and identify any gaps in delivery of the reforms that could hinder realisation of the end vision

How did the sprint groups work?

Following an initial, in-person event in London, sprint attendees were split into a total of 4 groups to develop a long term vision. In the build-up, Industry highlighted concerns that DEFRA were attempting to silo us into groups (trade associations, producers etc) to restrict wider discussions. This led to DEFRA developing cross industry stakeholder groups with a wide range of representation in each covering Producers, Trade Associations, NGOs, Waste management / reprocessors and Retailers.

Initial barriers to progress:

The sprint process what somewhat disrupted throughout due to DEFRA’s mandate to focus on a 10 year vision rather than considering the short term issues on the horizon. This proved a concern for many attendees due to the significant, ongoing short term issues related to all three of the key CPR policies.

There was also a significant amount of “venting” at first, it is clear that this process should have been started earlier, and several people were frustrated at DEFRA’s historic lack of engagement with the sector. This also aligned with concerns that the outputs of the sprints might not be taken forward or considered seriously by the government.

Sprint Vision – Output:

Below is an extract from the final visioning sprint session which outlines the key Vision and delivery targets collated from the exercise.

The process involved considerably more detail than is shared here, once the initial barriers had been overcome, some good progress was made by the sprint groups at establishing the major obstacles that the CPR proposals must overcome as well as how to enable the above aims through government and industry collaboration. This also offered an opportunity to highlight to DEFRA that if we cannot measure the impact of these reforms properly, success is hard to determine.

What are the major take aways from the process?

Stakeholder understanding – The largest benefit from this process was an improved, joint understanding across the sector that as stakeholders, we agree on far more than we previously thought. As a result of the mixed stakeholder representation in each sprint group, there was a strong opportunity to align views and understand other stakeholders issues and concerns more clearly. Whilst this may not have been DEFRA’s aim, it has led to a much more aligned industry stakeholder value chain.

Governance issues – One major point that was consistently highlighted through the process was the need for strong scheme governance for EPR, which had clear stakeholder representation. Whilst this does not necessarily align with the government’s decision make the Scheme Administrator a public body, it does highlight the need for as much industry involvement as possible.

4 key areas for focus – DEFRA fed back to the wider group on the 21st March, including a summary of each sprint groups progress. This covered four key themes for success under CPR:

  • Governance – representation and action
  • Performance – targets, enforcement, and producer engagement
  • Citizens – messaging, engagement, and accessibility
  • Infrastructure – End of life treatment, material quality and value

What is next?

Towards the end of the sprint sessions, industry established a transition plan steering group, made up of participants from each group working together to develop a transition plan towards the 10-year vision. The group is aiming to develop a transition plan framework by the end of May.

Wrexham pupil wins national recycling competition

A Year 7 pupil from Castell Alun High School in Wrexham is celebrating, after winning first prize in a national competition organised by the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro).

Launched as part of Alupro’s ‘Bin-fluencers’ campaign, an educational programme developed to help schoolchildren increase their knowledge of recycling, the competition invited students from across the UK to come up with a vibrant recycling bin design.

Budding artist Isabella Adams took home gold, having submitted what the judges considered a ‘highly creative and engaging entry’. Alongside seeing her artwork emblazoned on a brand new recycling bin donated to her school, 11-year-old Isabella also takes home an iPad.

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, commented: “As the voice of the UK aluminium packaging industry, we’re committed to increasing national recycling rates. Educating the next generation about best practice recycling and sustainability is a key theme across our work.

“Our Bin-fluencers campaign is just one of many educational initiatives organised by the team to help make recycling more appealing to students. By creating ready-to-use resources and competitions, we hope that teachers find it easier to integrate recycling into the curriculum and encourage pupils to participate.

“We thought Isabella’s design stood head and shoulders above the other entries received. Showcased on a brand new recycling bin donated to Castell Alun High School, I hope she’ll be just as proud seeing it every day on the way to her classes.”

Kate Jackson, Teacher at Castell Alun High School, added “Castell Alun STEM club members were excited to take part in the ‘Bin-fluencers’ activities supplied by Alupro and everybody really enjoyed learning about recycling and the impact for good this has on our planet. Our students were genuinely thrilled to be recognised for their hard work and passion, and we are very proud to have Isabella’s submission chosen as the overall winner.”

For more information about Alupro’s latest educational initiatives, visit www.learningaluminium.co.uk.

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Implementing an effective DRS – the challenges, opportunities and necessities

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, discusses the official consultation response to the introduction of a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, outlines the views of the aluminium industry and explains what decisions need to be made moving forward to ensure the scheme achieves maximum impact.

Last month (January), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), jointly published the official consultation response to the introduction of a deposit return scheme (DRS) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Developed with the ambition of further driving recycling rates, as well as reducing litter and plastic pollution, the implementation of a well-designed scheme provides a once in a generation opportunity to revolutionise the circular economy of drinks containers.

Despite widespread anticipation, however, initial feedback was somewhat damning. Alongside flagging a significantly delayed introduction date (October 2025 – seven years after initially promised), environmental groups were openly dismissive of many of the proposals included within. From an aluminium perspective, we were similarly disappointed, highlighting the possible damaging consequences that could be created for the sector.

Probably the most contentious point was the decision to forego an ‘all-in’ system, which works well in many other successful schemes already operational internationally. Instead, the DRS implemented across England and Northern Ireland will exclude glass bottles entirely. Our concern here is that a ‘non-uniform’ approach creates an unnecessary driver for material switching away from infinitely recyclable packaging – such as aluminium beverage cans – and also increases the risk of fraud.

With the government’s own analysis of responses to the consultation highlighting that 70% of respondents supported including glass bottles within the scheme, it’s safe to say that the supply chain was frustrated about having its views seemingly ignored.

As an industry, we’re always looking for new and innovative solutions to increase recycling rates and embrace the circular packaging economy of tomorrow. The considered roll-out of a well-designed deposit return scheme has a real opportunity to contribute to this. Unfortunately, it looks possible that hugely disruptive market change will instead be seen, unless significant work is undertaken – and delivered quickly – to mitigate risks.

As we enter a period of discussion and collaboration regarding how best to roll-out the system, Alupro is engaging intensely with the government(s) and the emergent scheme administrator(s) to ensure that the system embraces all the elements needed for it to be a success. With the objectives of revolutionising waste management, we’ll be making the views of the aluminium industry heard.

Achieving maximum impact

While the consultation response may not have been quite as expected, we believe that the system still has potential to deliver upon its ambitions. That said, it’s now essential that a number of key decisions are made to avoid any further risks and ensure that the system achieves maximum impact.

This is not a throw away initiative for the short-term, it’s a major shake-up of policy, industry and recycling behaviour that will affect every part of the packaging supply chain, environmental groups and – most importantly – consumers. Unless we consider the implications and embrace best practice, we run the risk of making change for the sake of it; with minimal benefit and unnecessary cost.

Reflecting the views outlined within our pioneering Aluminium Manifesto (March ‘22), we therefore believe that the following four pillars are instrumental to achieving maximum impact from the introduction of a scheme across England, Wales and Northern Ireland:

• Securing a variable rate for the deposit – It is positive to see government leaving the door open for a variable rate deposit outside of Scotland, but this needs to be supported by a maximum deposit level that allows flexibility. A variable rate of deposit is instrumental to ensuring that the DRS doesn’t cause imbalance in the market for beverage containers sold in multipacks. It is also encouraging that the new scheme entering force in the Republic of Ireland in 2024 has embraced the variable rate of deposit which, if adopted in Northern Ireland too, will deliver cross-border alignment and make the scheme easier for consumers to participate in.
• A circular economy for materials involved in the scheme – Government must recognise that DRS is primarily a circular economy scheme, not an anti-litter one. It is imperative that collected material is accessible and available to the recyclers of aluminium packaging, as it is now. This means that, once collected, the scheme can facilitate the supply of new recycled aluminium cans. The recycling industry is looking to the UK, as the biggest market for cans in Europe, to lead the way in this respect and show that it is committed to its environmental aspirations.

• A fair and level playing field with targets across reforms – Ensuring that where beverage containers are not in scope of DRS, they meet equal collection and recycling targets under the EPR system at the same pace as those which are included. This also requires inclusion of beverage containers not obligated under DRS within the list of ‘bin litter’ under EPR.

• Recognising the role of consumer education – Government and the DMO should work closely with organisations such as Every Can Counts (ECC) to ensure that consumers can be educated of the changes on the horizon, with enough time to prepare. ECC has significant experience driving beverage can recycling through consumer engagement.

It may seem as though DRS has already missed an open goal, but all is not yet lost. That said, the next few months will prove pivotal in ensuring legislation is both robust and considered to deliver the maximum possible impact, albeit considering initial set-backs. Government(s) need to listen to the advice the supply chain is offering and must take it on board to ensure success.

We must work collaboratively to achieve this. Doing so is essential if we are to roll-out a DRS that both increases recycling rates and reduces litter – creating a system that works well and sets the international standards for success. The gauntlet has been thrown down – we’ll be waiting with bated breath to see the response.

To read the aluminium manifesto, visit www.alupro.org.uk/sustainability/manifesto.

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‘Can-do’ attitude sees local resident raise thousands for charity

York resident and mum of two Karen Nash has raised more than £16,000 for charity in a rather unusual way. Rather than a sponsored cycle ride, half marathon or bake sale, Karen has spent the past ten years collecting and selling used metal packaging.

From an early age, her eldest son was offered support through The Snappy Trust – a city-centre initiative dedicated to maximising the personal development of young people with disabilities. To help raise funds for the charity, Karen founded her own initiative, Foil For Snappy, to help.

With no dedicated kerbside service to recycle aluminium foil offered to households in York, Karen set to work creating her own. By positioning dedicated collection bins in public car parks and accepting donations from local residents, Karen turned her garden into a small-scale waste handling facility, using it to separate and grade thousands of used packaging items, including cans and household cables.

As awareness grew, so did the volumes, with volunteers eventually sought to help Karen handle her snowballing success. Indeed, since collecting her very first item, Karen has since sorted and sold almost 29 tonnes of recyclable material, raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity in result. In 2019, she was awarded the Every Can Counts Green Can Award, and was also presented with the ‘Best Community Recycling Initiative’ at the 2019 Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management.

With the council having recently introduced aluminium foil to its kerbside collection service, Karen is now stepping down from her fundraising activities, having diverted the equivalent of 20 million mince pie cases, 687,000 beverage cans, 26,000 baked bean tins and 145,000 USB charging cables from landfill. Her work has helped to provide regular funding for The Snappy Trust and supported the lives of countless young people with disabilities.

Commenting on the journey, Karen said: “When I founded Foil For Snappy, I thought that it could be a clever way to raise money for charity, while also improving local recycling rates. Little did I know that this one small decision would see me embark on a ten-year community campaign!

“It’s been hugely rewarding and I’m delighted to have been able to raise so much for such a worthwhile cause. However, now that the council has introduced foil into its kerbside collections, I can take a much needed step back knowing that the city’s used aluminium packaging is in safe hands.

“I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the residents who have donated their packaging over the past ten years, as well as friends, family and complete strangers who have offered their time voluntarily. Collectively, we’ve shown the true value of metal recycling.

Tom Giddings, executive director of the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation (Alupro), added: “Since founding Foil For Snappy, Karen has continued to move mountains. Collecting almost 29 tonnes is no mean feat – especially when you consider that every item collected has been recycled into new, sustainable, infinitely recyclable products.

“We’ve followed her journey and supported the programme wherever we could. On behalf of our members, we’d like to thank Karen for all her hard work and dedication in helping to improve York’s metal recycling rates. Her work has not only raised funds for a hugely important charity, but also demonstrated the infinite recyclability of metal packaging.

“With the City of York Council adding aluminium foil to its kerbside collection scheme, we’re calling for residents to appreciate the significant value of aluminium packaging and recycle everything they possible can. If Karen can raise more than £16,000 for charity, simply throwing your used packaging in general waste is inexcusable.”

To read our aluminium manifesto, visit www.alupro.org.uk/sustainability/manifesto.

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Q&A with Andy Doran, chairman of Alupro

In January, Andy Doran – Senior Manager, Sustainability & Recycling Development at Novelis Europe – was appointed Chairman of Alupro, the aluminium packaging recycling organisation. Here, he explains why public opinion is changing when it comes to the circular economy and why 2023 will prove a transformational year for the UK’s packaging and recycling sectors.

Q – Tell us a little more about your career to date – where did it all start, what have the highlights been and why?

Having worked in recycling and sustainability for more than 30 years, I’ve seen the industry grow, develop and thrive. I first worked in local and central government, before taking up a role with Defra. In 2006, I moved to Novelis – the world’s largest aluminium recycler – and recently celebrated my 16th anniversary with the business.

During this time, I’ve enjoyed countless highlights. From discussing legislative change with recycling ministers and opening world-leading facilities, to seeing the aluminium beverage can recycling rate surpass 80%, there’s never a dull moment! Through it all, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed continuing to play a leading role in driving Europe’s booming aluminium sector.

Q – Have you seen public perceptions dramatically change towards packaging materials during this time?

When it comes to aluminium, perceptions haven’t changed much. It remains a hugely popular material of choice for both manufacturers and consumers, renowned for its infinite recyclability and superior properties. However, what I have seen change is public perception when it comes to the importance of recycling – as well as consumer pushback when it comes to single use materials.

The sector has been impacted greatly by what many are calling the ‘Blue Planet effect’. The sheer scale of our global plastic challenge highlighted by Sir David Attenborough is redefining how people think about packaging. The aluminium sector is benefitting in result – with consumers recycling more and the supply chain prioritising infinitely recyclable aluminium above other packaging materials.

Q – What have been the major drivers for this? Government communication and legislation?

Communication and education has proven pivotal to both raising awareness of material recyclability, as well as the importance of recycling used packaging. This messaging has come from various sources across the supply chain, including the pioneering work of Alupro and its countless initiatives – Every Can Counts and MetalMatters, to name but a few.

As the UK strives to further increase recycling rates, education will prove paramount to accelerating traction and providing access to the harder to reach fractions. Communication and incentivisation remains key.

Q – Why did you decide to take up the chair position at Alupro? What does the role entail?

I’ve been a board member of Alupro since 2006 and have watched the team grow and flourish. Taking up the chair role gives me the opportunity to further share my leadership, advice, knowledge and support with the hugely talented Alupro team. It also reflects the future vision of Novelis and our strong presence in the UK.

Q – What are your key predictions for the aluminium packaging sector in 2023? Will there be hurdles for the industry to overcome as well?

It’s fair to say that most businesses have experienced a challenging time over the past few years. Hopefully, however, we’re coming to the end of the tunnel and have seen the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, I expect demand for aluminium packaging to remain high, consumption levels to continue and recycling rates to remain strong.

There are obviously bumps in the road to overcome regarding data and reporting, but I see 2023 as a springboard for the future. With new legislation looming, there’s a huge opportunity when it comes to aluminium packaging recycling, but well-designed systems are paramount to make it ‘stick’.

Q – What one thing would help to further increase aluminium packaging recycling rates in the UK? Is this an achievable goal?

Robust legislation has the opportunity to revolutionise aluminium packaging recycling rates. It’s essential that any change is well-designed, well-managed and effectively deployed, however, as failing to do so can deliver hugely negative effects – most notably costing a lot of money to implement but failing to deliver much value.

Q – Will we ever see aluminium packaging recycling rates reach 100% (or as close to as feasibly possible)? What would help us to achieve this?

Aluminium packaging recycling has come a long way since I started out in the sector. Personally, I believe that the UK is on a robust path when it comes to further improvement and, with better infrastructure, education and incentives, could reach the levels seen in some of the world’s most high-performing countries.

For example, with an end of life collection rate of almost 99% (2021), Brazil sets the standards in aluminium can recycling, as well as being the world’s third largest market by volume. If it’s possible in Brazil, why isn’t it possible in the UK?

Q – Can you give us an exclusive? Any incentives, initiatives or activations that Alupro will launch in 2023 that could prove game-changing for the industry?

There’s so much in the Alupro pipeline for 2023, so I don’t want to spoil any surprises. Keep an eye out, though – some of the work going on behind the scenes is set to really make a splash!

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Alupro to present latest insight at European aerosols conference

Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, will share his thoughts on achieving higher aerosol recycling rates at the 2023 AEROBAL General Assembly meeting (24 January). Taking place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, the event will bring together leading brands from across the industry to discuss innovation, collaboration, success and progress.

As part of his remote presentation, Giddings will discuss Alupro’s recent launch of the UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative, a programme designed to drive an uplift in aerosol recycling rates; as well as its latest insights in establishing an accurate national picture of aerosol recycling.

The cross-industry initiative brings together working group partners from across the value chain including the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA), waste management specialists and aerosol manufacturers. Alongside aiming to ensure that aerosols become a central part of consumer recycling behaviour, the group aims to secure  systematic changes in waste management infrastructure to facilitate widespread aerosol recycling.

Looking forward, members intend to create a sector-led roadmap to address both consumer and government knowledge when it comes to the urgency of transitioning towards a circular economy. In addition, the group will develop new resources to increase national aerosol recycling engagement levels.

Commenting on the event, Giddings said: “With the packaging industry set to see significant changes over the coming months and years across Europe we’re looking forward to sharing our thoughts on the future of aerosol recycling and its role in furthering the circular economy.

“The event will provide us with a unique platform to discuss the UK Aerosols Initiative we launched last year, alongside the success of the initiative to date. We hope it gives AEROBAL members food for thought when it comes to implementing similar activities in other countries.”

To find out about the UK Aerosols Initiative, visit https://alupro.org.uk/industry/programmes/the-uk-aerosol-recycling-initiative/.

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Notes to editors

The UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative works to increase the awareness and uptake of aerosol recycling among the public and drive increased recycling rates across the UK. The initiative brings together working group partners from across the value chain including Ball Aerosol Packaging, the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA), Despray Environmental, Ecosurety, Environmental Services Association (ESA), The Materials Processing Institute, Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, Tandom Metallurgical Group Ltd, Trivium Packaging and Volcke Aerosol Connection.

Alupro Statement

Last week (20 January), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), jointly published the official consultation response to the introduction of a deposit return scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, provided the following comment:

 

“On immediate reflection, it’s fair to say that the aluminium packaging sector is hugely disappointed about many of the proposals detailed within Defra’s response. The sector’s concerns around the potential of a poorly-designed DRS to lead to unintended and damaging consequences for the market for drink cans made of infinitely recyclable aluminium haven’t been eased by the announcement. For example, excluding glass bottles from the scheme in England heightens the potential for material switching away from aluminium and increases the cost of fraud, when the government’s own analysis of responses to the consultation showed that 70% of respondents supported including glass bottles in the scheme.

 

“As an industry, we’re always looking for new and innovative solutions to increase recycling rates and embrace the circular packaging economy of tomorrow. The considered roll-out of a well-designed deposit return scheme could – and should – have contributed to this. Unfortunately, as per the concerns outlined within our pioneering Aluminium Manifesto (March ‘22), it looks likely that hugely disruptive market change will be seen.

 

“As we enter a period of discussion and (hopefully) co-operation regarding how best to roll-out this system, Alupro will be engaging intensely with the governments and emergent scheme administrator(s). We want to ensure not only that any further risks can be avoided, for example by encouraging the adoption of a variable rate of deposit by size, but that the system embraces all the elements needed for it to be a success – including innovative consumer engagement (for example through a programme like Every Can Counts, which has already engaged millions around the UK to drive up drinks can recycling to 82% in 2021) to increase participation.

 

“We will, of course, provide further analysis in due course.”

The implications of late data submissions on the PRN market

In this article, Martin Hyde, sustainability and public affairs manager at Alupro, explains the inextricable link between PRN demand and fluctuating prices, and discusses why late data submissions have such an adverse impact on the market.

The PRN system has operated as a closed, value-driven market since the initial introduction of the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) regulations back in 1997. Its purpose is to provide producers paying their packaging compliance obligation fair access to recycling evidence, while also ensuring that fees paid are reflective of the cost and efficiency of recycling packaging waste.

As PRNs are traded openly between reprocessors, producers and compliance schemes, the cost of a PRN will resultingly fluctuate based on the cost of reprocessing (including preparation for recycling and end market availability) as well as the quantity of recyclate being accepted for reprocessing.

After calculating the volume of each packaging material type handled throughout the calendar year, each producer must submit their obligation to the environmental regulator. This figure is calculated as a proportion of the total volume handled, based on the packaging activity performed and annual recycling target for each material.

This data is then consolidated and published as a UK-wide obligation, which details the total number of PRNs that UK producers must purchase to offset their obligations. Throughout the year, reprocessors report on the tonnage of each material they have reprocessed (or exported) and the equivalent number of PRNs generated in result.

If the performance appears lower than that required to meet the UK obligation total, then PRN prices will likely increase as producers seek to not be left without enough evidence to meet their legal obligation. As such, the PRN system is said to be driven on an entirely supply vs demand basis.

Is data linked to PRN demand and price?

Supply of PRNs vary significantly year to year, as well as during each compliance period. This often results in volatility of the PRN price. As with any open market, the level of demand will cause price fluctuation.

Unlike traditional commodity markets, however, producers have a legal obligation to buy PRNs. Indeed, there is no alternative option – other than being non-compliant and committing an environmental offence, of course.

This means that the UK’s total obligation is closely linked to PRN costs, especially given that annual recycling / exporting capacity is not limitless. If producer data shows abnormally high tonnages of packaging handled, then equivalently high levels of reprocessing will be needed to ensure compliance.

As such, the UK packaging obligation (usually published in May each year) is therefore closely tied to the total costs that businesses will pay under the system.

So, what are the implications of late submissions?

Producers are expected to submit their data, annually, to the regulator in April (the 7th for Direct Registrants and the 15th for compliance scheme members). However, if this deadline is missed, they are given leeway up until the very end of the year before being considered non-compliant.

On the surface, this seems a simple and fair process. However, in practice, the knock-on effects can be fairly major. Indeed, if data is submitted late, it cannot be included in the published UK obligation report, meaning that the ‘demand’ figure is not a true reflection of how many PRNs need to be procured. As there is no current mechanism of forcing submissions on time, producers can theoretically withhold their data while continuing to purchase PRNs.

By doing so, they will have a greater knowledge of the UK’s recycling performance against targets than businesses who have submitted their data on time, giving them an unfair market advantage. While there is a late submission fee payable to the regulator, this is a statutory amount set at £110 – for even the largest producers in the country.

The penalty therefore simply pays lip service to dissuading delayed submissions, especially for the market’s major players.

In 2022, several large producers have submitted their data late, while some are yet to submit their data altogether. The lack of data clarity in one of the areas of the market that should be the most transparent (PRN demand) has had a direct impact on already high PRN prices for some core materials.

After all, lack of certainty in the PRN market tends to drive prices upwards, meaning producers submitting data late are increasing the cost of compliance for other businesses who submitted their data on time – a thoroughly unfair situation.

How could policy change help to address the imbalance?

It’s not immediately clear how straightforward it would be for DEFRA to amend the regulations around enforcement measures, or even if they would be open to doing so. Regardless, many believe that the costs of submitting late data should be reflective of the obligation or turnover of the business who has failed to meet their data submission obligation.

A scaling fee system that is either calculated as a percentage of turnover or the total number of PRNS required would likely encourage producers to invest more time and resources into making accurate, timely data submissions. This would not only prevent unnecessary fluctuations in the marketplace, but would also level the playing field for all organisations – essential for a robust, sustainable, high-performing industry.

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Christmas recycling competition launched for York school children

City of York Council has partnered with Alupro to launch a festive-themed competition for primary school pupils. With the council now able to collect aluminium foil at the kerbside, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the importance of recycling – especially at Christmas, when packaging volumes increase.

Challenging children to create a festive A4 poster design incorporating used (but washed) aluminium foil, eager entrants can sign up to participate through their school. The winning design will take home a £50 cash prize, while their school will receive £500 in vouchers to spend on sustainable supplies and activities.

With the competition launching on 28 November and closing on 31 January, there’s plenty of time to create your Christmas masterpiece. The winning design will be announced in February and displayed for all to see on the council’s website.

Tom Giddings, executive director at Alupro, commented: “At Christmas, aluminium foil can be found all around your home. From mince pie and roasting trays, to foil wrappers and even the lids on cream pots, just give them a quick wipe or rinse and they’re ready to be recycled!

“We’re delighted to be partnering with City of York Council for this competition and can’t wait to see all the creative posters submitted from budding artists across the region. From experience, initiatives like this help to improve resident engagement and improve recycling rates, so we’re expecting hugely positive results.

“The great thing about aluminium is that it’s infinitely recyclable – you can melt it down and reform it to create new products or packaging materials time and time again. This is the message that we want children to be shouting from the rooftops… using it as an art material really shows its versatility!”

City of York Council’s Executive Member for Climate Change, Councillor Paula Widdowson added: “It’s wonderful to see local schoolchildren being given the chance to learn more about recycling this Christmas. Our long-term vision is to create a cleaner, greener city and this competition to raise awareness of what can be recycled at the kerbside is just the latest step in our work to expand and improve recycling and waste services across York.

“We know residents are doing a fantastic job of recycling in York, with around 43 per cent of all waste being either reused, recycled or composted. The addition of foil to kerbside collections will help us further boost our recycling rates.”

For more information about recycling foil at the kerbside and recent changes to waste services across York, visit: www.york.gov.uk/recycling.

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