§ Mr. Bill O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he plans to take to increase the income from Packaging Recovery Notes to ensure the continuing recovery and recycling of glass and other waste materials; and if he will make a statement. [113423]
§ Mr. MeacherThe main purpose of the Packaging Waste Recovery Note (PRN) is to enable those obligated under the packaging Regulations to demonstrate compliance with their obligations. In addition, the PRN is intended to direct the necessary resources at increasing collection and reprocessing capacity in the UK and developing end-use markets for recyclate. The PRN system is a market-based system and PRN prices are therefore affected both by the balance between targets and available capacity and by developments in the international market. Prices for both virgin and recycled materials are currently low.
Given the targets in the EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste that the UK must meet in 2001, it is clear that a considerable increase in recovery will be needed between now and 2001 if the targets are to be met and we would expect this to influence PRN prices.