§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he proposes to ensure that(a) retailers and (b) packer and fillers take an increased share of the recovery and recycling obligation contained in the UK Packaging Waste Regulations 1997. [97472]
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
The Advisory Committee on Packaging has proposed that the percentage obligation of packaging manufacturers should be reduced by two percentage points and that of packer/fillers and retailers be increased by one percentage point each. I expect to make a further announcement on this matter shortly.
§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the increased cost to United Kingdom packaging manufacturers following implementation of the UK Packaging Waste Regulations in 1997. [97471]
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
The recovery and recycling obligations under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 took effect in 1998. My Department estimates that the costs of complying with these obligations in 1998 was some £78,000,000 for the 4,011 obligated parties registered with the Environment Agency or Scottish Environment Protection Agency. We do not have a breakdown of figures specifically for packaging manufacturers, but these made up some 8 per cent. of the 4,011 registrations in 1998.