Packaging Waste (Hansard, 11 July 1996)

§ Mr. Gummer

Together with my right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Trade, and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales I am today publishing a consultation paper, with draft regulations, which set out the Government's proposals for producer responsibility obligations for packaging waste and which will give effect to the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste—94/62/EC. Copies are being placed in the Library. This is the most outstanding example of partnership between government and industry to achieve an important environmental goal. We hope that the rest of Europe will follow this example. The regulations are based on the principles of a shared approach and the 15 December agreement as set out in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson) on 7 May, Official Report, columns 73–75. They are the outcome of a very substantial series of discussions with business to find the best way in which we can work together to meet 264W an environmental goal, in this case the need to recover greater value from the 8 million tonnes of packaging waste which we generate each year.

This is a pioneering process of partnership and dialogue which has wider lessons for how we seek to achieve environmental objectives. Inevitably there were differences of view along the way and difficult judgments on the right balance between fairness, effectiveness and minimising burden. There will be many issues in these proposals requiring further careful consideration on which the Government are keen to obtain views. Nevertheless I believe that there is a growing consensus on the best way forward, and the active and continuing involvement of all sectors is the right way to generate a sustainable long-term approach, as well as achieving the co-operation necessary between businesses.

As an example of how we can help businesses assess what is required, I am making available on request a PC-operable disc which will calculate the tonnage obligation for an individual business in relation to its own processes and patterns of trade.

There are three underlying aims which the Government remain committed to achieve:

(i) A more sustainable approach to dealing with packaging waste by internalising the costs of meeting higher targets for recovery and recycling. This harnesses the efficiency and creativity of the supply chain to meet environmental goals. Additional costs to business may, like other costs, be passed onto consumers, to the extent that they are not absorbed;
(ii) To help implement the EC directive for which the United Kingdom worked so hard. The main purpose of the EC directive on packaging and packaging waste is to ensure a single market for the free circulation of packaging but, in addition, member states must meet the minimum targets for recycling and recovery;
(iii) To achieve both these ends in the most efficient and least burdensome manner. The principle of having the choice of doing so through collective business-led schemes, which have the maximum freedom and flexibility in which to operate, remains a fundamental objective.

We are greatly encouraged by the work now under way to develop collective business-operated schemes, and in particular the efforts to establish VALPAK, which is supported by 60 leading UK businesses. The establishment of such schemes will be evidence that when given the opportunity, industry will deliver environmental targets with real efficiency gains.

This is a new approach. We have endeavoured to achieve a wide measure of consensus, but we will need to monitor closely the operation of the regulations and review their impact and effectiveness. The Advisory Committee on Packaging has proposed a framework for future monitoring and review which we fully endorse. The committee will have a major part to play over the next two years and we shall follow its advice carefully in the future development of this initiative.