Member News

Legislation Updates

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Ireland - Individual compliance for packaging proposed to be removed - 27 September 2022

1. 12 obligating the major producer to purchase packaging waste directly or indirectly,
2. 13-14 obligation the major producer to register and reregister,  
3. 15 and 16 (1) obligating the major producer to prepare three-yearly implementation plan and to report on it and to report – on quarterly basis – on the packaging put on the market
4. 16 (3) and 27 obligating the local authorities to compile and publish register of major producer, who registered themselves,
5. Schedule 3 (as amended by Regulation 15), which sets information requirements for registration, its renewal, contents of three-year implementation plan and annual and quarterly report.

Denmark - EPR for all packaging by 2025 - 23 September 2022

• a Jun-20 amendment to the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) enabled the Minister to issue implementing legislation to introduce EPR on packaging from 2025 (as required under Art. 7.2 of the amended EU Packaging Directive);
• a Dec-20 Waste Order newly required municipalities from Jul-21 to provide curbside collection for 11 waste fractions uniformly throughout the country, irrespective of whether waste is considered packaging or not;
• a Jun-22 amendment to the EPA a) prohibits from Jul-22 municipalities from treating household or industrial recoverable/recyclable wastes (i.e. packaging) themselves and b) introduces stricter financial supervision over the waste sector.

• Municipalities will remain responsible for the collection of (dry) household waste and household waste packaging from citizens, while the collected (dry and packaging) waste will be handed over to the producers (packers/fillers) via ‘collective schemes’ (PROs) who will arrange for their treatment thereafter and report treatment data to the Danish Producer Responsibility System (DPA) [Producers will be permitted to individually or collectively establish DRS’ in parallel to the municipal take-back mechanism].
• The financing mechanism for the collection of household waste packaging and SUP littler clean-up activities will shift from citizen-funding to producer funding whereby producers of household packaging and SUPs will reimburse municipalities’ collection costs through their packaging PROs [The switch to producer funding is estimated to lower the average annual waste fee per household by DKK 600 (EUR 80)]. Municipalities costs for the collection of household dry-fraction non-packaging waste will not be reimbursed by producers but instead recouped through rates charged directly to households.
• The packaging PROs will be required to cover all packaging materials and operate on a national scale. Although the agreement does not impose restrictions on the ownership and control of the PROs, it is stated that they may have a profit objective. The agreement facilitates the existence of multiple packaging PROs (as per the other EPR waste streams) and approvals will be issued for 5-year periods.
• Producers’ financial contributions to the PROs are to be modulated to disincentivize excessive packaging and incentivise the use of recycled content and packaging that is reusable or recyclable. The government will be tasked with determining the principles/criteria for fee modulation.
• Packers/fillers who POM less than 8 tonnes of packaging will be presented with simplified reporting requirements. However, they will remain subject to the financing requirement, for which no de-minimis exemptions are foreseen.
• The operational and financing conditions/arrangements are to be bilaterally negotiated (on a continual basis) between the municipalities and producers. The EPR Cooperation Forum is to operate permanently as a means to mediate the negotiations (through a ‘negotiation committee’) between the parties.
• The scope of the DPA – which currently operates the producer register for EEE and batteries – will be expanded to cover producer registration and reporting/data collection for packaging. An EPR authority (‘producentansvarstilsynet’) – to be financed collectively by producers – is to monitor the regime, the PROs and free-riders.
• Business/industrial waste packaging will continue to be collected and managed by the private waste treatment sector (who will also be responsible for reporting treatment data to the DPA), while producers will be presented with a financial role only and compensate treatment operators (through collective arrangements).
• In view of insufficient data on current national recycling rates and the upcoming revision of the EU Packaging Directive, binding recycling/reduction targets will be set at a later date.
• The packaging regime will undergo a re-evaluation in 2027 to monitor its operational/economic efficiency and ensure teething issues are tackled quickly.
• The total estimated annual cost to producers of household packaging in 2025 (under the new regime) is estimated at
  • DKK 3,168 m (EUR 426m) in 2025 [This includes waste management costs (household packaging of DKK 1,504m (EUR 209m), SUP clean-up costs of DKK 56m (EUR 7.5m) and administrative (producer-financed state and PRO) costs of DKK 272m (EUR 36.5m)) as well as initial (one-off) start-up costs of DKK 1,335m (EUR 180m)].
  • DKK 1,903 m (EUR 256m) by 2030 (-40% when compared to 2025).

News from Industry

• Report: Between 60 to 80% of impacts on the planet come from household consumption; Between 60 to 80% of impacts on the planet come from household consumption, according to a new report from SUEZ. As a major economy, the UK’s production and consumption has made it the fifth-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the world, SUEZ recycling and recovery UK says. As the new UK government considers its priorities for the coming year, the resource management company says it has a chance to consider policy that can address this growing issue – helping to conserve energy and, ultimately, reduce household bills at a time of rising costs.
• Should companies think twice about making sustainability claims on their packaging?; There are three main dangers to putting sustainability claims on packaging: consumers failing to understand the claim, leading to undesirable confusion; the brand benefit becoming undermined; and consumers assuming that a brand is greenwashing, or jumping on a bandwagon to make sustainability claims without following through.
• 1 in 3 throw away the equivalent of one shopping bag of food per week; One in three people report they throw away the equivalent of one shopping bag of food per week, costing families approximately £780 per year. This International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, Hellmann’s and climate action NGO WRAP have come together to release a new global study on the latest food waste behaviours.
• Stora Enso launches Papira pulp foam packaging into the market; Sustainability Awards finalist Papira, a novel lightweight foam made from pulp fibres by Stora Enso, has been released as a ‘recyclable’ alternative to fossil-based foam materials in packaging. 
  The company claims that its new solution is both plastic-free and fully recyclable at kerbside and in paper waste streams. Its reported biodegradability suggests that, if it ends up in the environment, the material will not have a pollutive effect.
• Trade associations set quality standard for recycled plastic; The Environmental Services Association, with support from the British Plastics Federation (BPF), Recycling Association and RECOUP, has today (29 September) published a defined quality standard for post-consumer recycled plastics, with the aim of driving consistent standards across the sector.
• Audi launches old vehicle plastic recycling pilot project; The car company is launching pilot reprocessing projects for a growing number of materials and components. The objective is to gain experience with as many processing techniques as possible and produce derivatives for future application of particular raw materials. Audi says material cycles have several advantages, they can reduce demand for renewable and raw non-renewable materials and materials based on material cycles have a more favourable energy footprint.
• Foodservice packaging sector begins post-pandemic recovery; The Covid-19 pandemic hit the foodservice sector hard, and the market is recovering although its yet to reach its peak.
• Artificial intelligence and augmented reality freshen up men’s fragrance; “Created by robots for humans” is a special edition body spray for young men which has been developed using augmented reality and artificial intelligence in a bid to produce the perfect scent and packaging.
• Biffa accepts lower takeover bid of £1.3bn from US private equity firm; After accepting a lowered £1.3bn takeover bid, Biffa is set to be acquired by a group controlled by US private equity firm Energy Capital Partners (ECP). The UK waste management company’s shares rose by 28% following the announcement of the deal on Tuesday (27 September) following an initial 28-day extension for the board to decide on the takeover bid.
• Devolved tax will support Scotland’s circular economy, Scottish government says; A new devolved tax will encourage greater use of recycled and other sustainable materials by the construction industry, the Scottish Government says. A consultation has begun to inform future legislation on a replacement for the UK Aggregates Levy. The levy is payable when newly quarried products like sand or rock are used for commercial purposes including housebuilding, infrastructure and landscaping.
• Combating counterfeiters driving Eluceda technology; The need to authenticate genuine goods and protect businesses from counterfeiters, is driving growth at detection technology company Eluceda. The company provides product and brand authentication, as well as biological and chemical testing, and is providing its technologies to a growing number of goods, particularly in the drink and beverage, personal care and pharmaceutical packaging sectors.
• Scotland’s generated waste and recycling rates increase; Official statistics by SEPA provide detail of Household Waste collected across all Local Authorities during 2021, as well as waste landfilled and incinerated in Scotland in 2021. An increase in both the amount of waste generated and the amount recycled is likely due to a bounce back after lockdowns and other restrictions were lifted, SEPA says. While increases in waste wood and construction waste are likely due to people restarting home improvement projects.
• ‘packioli’ is a water-resistant soap packaging made of artichoke + peapod bio-wraps; Addressing the issue of plastic packaging, Turkish designer Alara Ertenü uses natural artichoke leaves and peapod bioplastics to create ‘Packioli,’ a series of 100% biodegradable packaging for commercial soap. The goal behind the zero-waste wraps is to eliminate plastic packaging and, at the same time, meet the hygiene, logistics, and endurance needs of commercial soap brands and businesses.
• HSBC Asset Management launches Circular Economy Fund; HSBC Asset Management (HSBC AM) has launched the HGIF Global Equity Circular Economy fund, which will target both wholesale and institutional investors with a particular focus on high-net-worth individuals, family offices and private banks. HSBC AM says the fund will invest in around 60 companies that are enabling the transition to a circular global economy, by designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use and regenerating natural systems.
• Quadpack launches New Regula Refill Jar for cosmetics; The 50ml New Regula Refill Jar has a thick-walled outer jar in PET, with a premium, glass-like aesthetic, designed for prestige cosmetics brands. The inner jar has been developed for compatibility with most skincare formulas. It is made from PP and designed to be easily thermosealed, one of the best solutions for refills.
• TerraCycle and Sistema partner on recycling programme for reusable; The company has worked alongside manufacturer Sistema on the project. TerraCycle said that anyone can sign-up to the programme and recycle as an individual, or on behalf of their communities. They are awarded points for each item they send in to be recycled. These points are redeemable as monetary donations to fund good causes including charities, community initiatives and schools.
• 80% of companies fall behind packaging and circularity goals within a year; The report, “A Roadmap for Sustainable Packaging in Consumer Goods“, found that only 7% succeed in implementing their packaging and circularity objectives – half the rate of most other industries. Bain & Company says that innovation is often not the solution, as experienced with other supply chain challenges, since packaging companies are often “at the mercy of inadequate recycling and waste management systems in the markets where they make and sell goods”.
• Remanufacturing-as-a-Service launched to help businesses reuse tech; Circular Computing is announcing the roll-out of an “industry-first” offering, Remanufacturing-as-a-Service (RaaS), to larger businesses across the UK and “other geographies”.
  Describing itself as the world’s first carbon-neutral certified remanufacturer of laptops, Circular Computing says the development is timed to tackle the growing e-waste crisis.
• Ishida investment reduces costs for Polish pet food manufacturer; Ishida weighing technology has enabled leading Polish pet food manufacturer United Petfood Polska to maximise efficiencies and reduce operating costs in the packing of a range of granulated pet foods, leading to a payback on the investment within 18 months.
• Cash boost for heat pump projects to drive cleaner heating in UK homes; More than £15 million was awarded by the Government across 24 “innovation projects” to make low carbon heating like heat pumps cheaper and easier to install to accelerate the UK’s move away from fossil fuels.
• Retail guidelines published to drive forward circular economy; Retailers, resale platforms, charity retailers, and other industry experts have come together to develop guidelines on second-hand and “preloved” items, which the British Retail Consortium (BRC) says is to help the industry on its journey to a circular economy. The voluntary guidelines, published by the BRC, outline the steps retailers can take to adhere to circular economy principles. By following this circular model, the BRC says retailers will further the progress they have already made to lengthen the lifecycle of the products they buy.
• DS Smith and Krones partner to launch sustainable shrink-wrap alternative; Sustainable packaging company, DS Smith announced a partnership with packaging machinery and systems provider Krones to create ECO Carrier, a fibre-based alternative to shrink-wrap for PET multipack bottles.
• CIWM launches 2022 Festival of Circular Economy programme; CIWM has launched the full programme for its Festival of Circular Economy, featuring speakers from some of the world’s “best-known brands”, including Google and L’Oréal, as well as “circular economy pioneers” Tony Juniper and Marga Hoek, and architect and TV presenter Charlie Luxton. Taking place virtually across four days from 28 November to 1 December, CIWM says the “ambitious and diverse” line-up will welcome circular economy innovators from around the world to communicate knowledge and experience at every scale, from small enterprises to global achievements. CIWM says the festival builds on the success of last year’s inaugural event and will highlight the successes of the circular economy to date and showcase initiatives, ideas, innovations and wisdom.
• New report shows England is falling behind the EU in key environmental standards; A new report from the Rethink Plastic alliance in collaboration with the Break Free From Plastic movement says “important progress” has been made by the vast majority of EU countries in banning the most polluting single-use plastics compared to the UK. As key environmental legislation on plastic pollution is implemented across the EU, environmental campaigners, City to Sea, have warned that England is falling behind the rest of Europe despite promises of a ‘Green Brexit’.
• Report says EU can meet target of 55% recyclable packaging by 2030; Philanthropic organisation Minderoo Foundation and multinational advisory firm KPMG have released new analysis that “raises hope” that the EU can still meet the target of 55% recyclable packaging by 2030 but to do so will require a 20bn EUR upgrade of the whole waste-to-material value chain. Minderoo Foundation says the value chain requires infrastructure for mixed waste sorting, high-quality sorting, advanced mechanical recycling and chemical recycling. It continues that the EU is set to underperform on plastics recycling, where currently only 11% of postconsumer plastics are recycled. Meanwhile, ‘on-par’ (product-to-product) plastic recycling is limited to 2-3%. Minderoo Foundation says that current industry efforts to develop a circular plastics economy are “woefully insufficient” due mainly to long-standing structural challenges throughout the value chain.
• EU wastes more food than it imports says new report; According to the report, in 2021, the EU imported almost 138 million tonnes of agricultural products, costing €150 billion. At the same time, the report “No Time to Waste”, which Feedback EU says is based on the most up-to-date sources, estimates that the EU wastes 153.5 million tonnes of food each year. This figure is nearly double previous estimates. Feedback EU says this is due to better availability of data on food wasted on farms and official EU figures still exclude most on-farm food waste from EU member state measurement and reporting. In light of this news, an international movement of 43 organisations from 20 EU countries issued a  joint statement calling on the EU to introduce legally binding targets for member states to cut EU food waste from farm to fork by 50% by 2030, within the scope of current reporting, and review extending reporting to cover all on-farm food waste.
• Mercian Labels claims fully automated finishing following investments; The self-adhesive labels specialist approached ABG to discuss the possibility of creating a 100% automated, or ‘lights out’ manufacturing process. The initiative would lead to increased efficiencies, which in turn would result in less energy consumption, reduced waste and improved production costs.
• Report raises new fears over UK plastic exports to Global South; A new report by Dutch charity Plastic Soup Foundation has revealed the Netherlands is leading EU waste exports to the Global South and UK plastic waste shipped to the Netherlands more than doubled between 2020-2021. The charity says that the report has prompted fresh concerns UK plastic waste may be being shipped to the Global South via proxy. Plastic Soup Foundation has called for an “urgent ban on all plastic waste exports outside the EU” in response to the report.
• Chinese students win O-I Expressions award; A group of students from Hunan University of Technology in China have won the 2022 O-I Expressions Design Awards with a packaging concept for a traditional Chinese health drink.
• Closed Loop Partners release insights from US reusable bag pilots; Closed Loop Partners’ Centre for the Circular Economy and the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag has released a new resource to help guide retailers looking to adopt reusable bag service models. The report, Beyond the Plastic Bag, shares key insights and analysis gathered from collaborative reusable bag pilots conducted in select CVS Health, Target and Walmart stores throughout Northern California in 2021, as part of the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag’s Beyond the Bag Pilots. The results show that approximately 100 billion single-use plastic bags are used each year in the U.S., most of which end up as waste in landfills and the environment.
• Aquapak eyes circularity uplift with Hydropol material; The PVH functionality of Hydropol is a high-performance polymer, and when extrusion coated or laminated onto paper, it adds strength and barriers to oxygen, oil and grease. Mark Lapping, chief executive, told Packaging News there were no barrier protection concerns as Hydropol is ‘an excellent’ gas, oil, fat and grease barrier material.
• Report: “Urgent action” needed to create a sustainable model of operation for chemical industry; A new report published by Systemiq and the Center for Global Commons at the University of Tokyo says that the chemical industry has the opportunity to become an enabler of a sustainable global economy, double in size and create 29 million new jobs – but without dramatic and urgent change, the industry aligns with 4 degrees of global warming by 2050 with “catastrophic consequences” for the planet.
• DEFRA completes ministerial line-up after reshuffle; The government department hasn’t confirmed which minster has secured the waste management brief. Scott Mann MP and Trudy Harrison MP have been made Parliamentary Under Secretaries of State while Mark Spencer MP is named Minister of State.
• TIPA targets crisps and nuts with new compostable film; The company said that the 312MET film has “superior sealing properties and a particularly high barrier that enables quick converting without the need for an additional sealing layer”.
• 50 million people worldwide in modern slavery; Fifty million people were living in modern slavery in 2021, according to the latest Global Estimates of Modern Slavery. Of these people, 28 million were in forced labour and 22 million were trapped in forced marriage. The number of people in modern slavery has risen significantly in the last five years. 10 million more people were in modern slavery in 2021 compared to 2016 global estimates. Women and children remain disproportionately vulnerable.
• Survey finds half of consumers struggle to recycle packaging; A new survey from FMCG Gurus has found that 68% of global consumers believe that food, drink, and supplement brands should be doing more to protect the planet.
• UK plastic waste may be shipped abroad via proxy – report; The report was published by Dutch charity Plastic Soup Foundation. UK plastic waste exports to the Netherlands is thought to have increased by over 60% between 2020 and 2021. The report said during this period plastic waste exports from the Netherlands to the Global South – regions within Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania – more than doubled to in excess of 200 million kilograms.
• Mondi has invested €5m in a new research and development centre at Steinfeld, Germany; Construction of the facility has commenced, and when completed, will include pilot lines for both plastic- and paper-based solutions, from coating, film extrusion and printing to filling lines for multiple products. The centre will also have an analytical laboratory as well as a floor dedicated to a customer experience centre.
• Smurfit Kappa extends reach in Brazil with PaperBox deal; The corrugated packaging giant bought Rio de Janeiro-based PaperBox with the additional aim to expand its product portfolio.
• UK Research and Innovation launches fresh £2.5m plastic competition; The Future Plastic Packaging Solutions Round two competition for research and innovation projects is awarding grant funding from £30,000 to £250,000. SSPP Challenge Director Paul Davidson said: “In building the SSPP project portfolio, we have been aiming for a balanced approach that targets some of the key barriers to increasing the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastic packaging. For this competition, we are looking for bold and ambitious innovation proposals that keep the value embedded in plastic packaging in the economy, and out of the natural environment.”
• CEFLEX project targets flexible packs with aluminium foil; CEFLEX has linked up with two key trade bodies to develop guidelines for flexible packaging containing aluminium foil. Partnering with Flexible Packaging Europe and the European Foil Association, the project aims to give guidance on designing for a circular economy and aims to represent the entire supply chain.
• EPA calls for urgent measures to tackle packaging waste in Ireland; The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has today (13 September) published its latest figures on packaging waste in Ireland, which shows the country is meeting current EU recycling targets and achieving high recycling rates for some streams such as glass, paper/cardboard and metals. However, the figures show the recycling rates remain low for plastic at 29%, and the share of plastic packaging treated by incineration was 71% in 2020.
• Government extends food label changes to 2024; Some labelling terms and EU addresses will be permitted on the British market for an additional 15 months and new rules will come into force on 1 January. UK/EC identification on the British market has also been extended. The government has delayed the remaining import controls on EU goods due to the rise in global energy costs. It concluded that labelling changes, which were set to come into force in October, could resulted in additional cost that would be passed onto consumers.
• eBay partners with Reskinned to expand preloved offerings; Reskinned takes back worn items from shoppers and reconditions them for resale, repurpose or recycling, which keeps the articles out of landfill and extends the product’s life. Currently working with over 30 brands, including Finisterre, Sweaty Betty, River Island, and most recently Joules; Reskinned says items are generally priced around 40% lower than their high street price, so the choice is “both good for their wallet and the planet”.
• New book aims to help plastic processors; A new book has been published by the British Plastics Federation (BPF), which aims to be a practical guide for plastic processors.
• Supply chain links up to launch Compostable Coalition; A scheme looking into the practicality of collecting, sorting and treating compostable packaging has been unveiled.
• Mondi targets PET bottle bundle packs with Hug&Hold; Mondi has launched Hug&Hold, a paper-based solution to replace plastic shrink wrap for PET bottle bundle packs.
• Recycle Week postponed due to Queen’s passing; Scheduled for 19-25 September, WRAP said that it was “working with stakeholders involved in Recycle Week to draw up a new date which we will communicate shortly”. The first day of Recycle Week, 19 September, would have clashed with the Queen’s funeral.
• RECOUP conference to tackle costs and EPR; The event, which takes place in Peterborough on 29 September, will also examine the lack of clarity around extended producer responsibility (EPR). It will be moderated by author and journalist Tom Heap.
• New guidance published to boost electricals repair and reuse; Reuse Network says the guidance, named Fit for Reuse, will support reuse operators to meet required standards to run compliantly. The non-profit membership body dedicated to reuse charities says the guidance will help tackle the growing mountain of old or unused electricals being recycled or disposed of and, through Reuse Network, provide more high-quality, safe, repaired electrical goods to people that need them.
• Coveris and Notpla unveil new biodegradable food cartons; Coveris has worked with start-up Notpla on a range of new cartons that incorporate new barrier coating technology. According to Coveris, the food cartons are printed, biodegradable and recyclable. Notpla’s coating is a mix of seaweed and plant extracts that are said to provide a food-safe barrier function, and which disappears naturally in four-to-six weeks at end of life.
• Court confirms enforceable European laws post-Brexit in landmark environmental case; Law firm Freeths LLP has this week (6 September) won a landmark environmental case in Harris vs Environment Agency. The High Court has ruled that key European nature conservation laws remain enforceable against the Environment Agency (and by implication other public bodies), despite the UK having left the European Union.
• Alupro launches ‘UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative’; Alupro, the aluminium packaging recycling organisation, has launched the ‘UK Aerosol Recycling Initiative’. The initiative brings together working group partners from across the value chain including Ball Aerosol Packaging, the British Aerosol Manufacturers’ Association (BAMA), Ecosurety, a packaging compliance scheme, The Metals Processing Institute, Suez Recycling and Recovery UK and Tandom Metallurgical Group Ltd, processors of reclaimed aluminium.
• Greiner Packaging gets EFSA boost on post-consumer PET; Greiner Packaging has secured approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials.
• Consumers still making conscious choices despite cost of living crisis; A survey commissioned by sustainable consumer goods brand Bower Collective has revealed that consumers in the UK are still making conscious choices about buying sustainable products and services, despite the impact of the cost of living crisis. The survey, conducted with YouGov, found that 85% of respondents said they are seeing the impact of the cost of living crisis on the consumer choices they make. When asked whether they had previously prioritised sustainable products and services in the choices they made, 69% said that they had.
• De Jong Packaging sold to Stora Enso in €1bn deal; Stora Enso has boosted its presence in the European corrugated market with the acquisition of De Jong Packaging Group in a deal worth €1bn. Stora Enso said the move fits in with its strategy to “accelerate revenue growth and build market share in renewable packaging in Europe”.
• Jayawardena made Secretary of State at DEFRA; He replaces George Eustice who has left DEFRA. New Prime Minister Liz Truss has reshuffled the cabinet and Jayawardena takes on his new role having previously been minister for International Trade from May 2020 to September 2022.
• Waste Hierarchy has “outlived its usefulness” – IMechE; The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) have recommended that the UK Government replace the Waste Hierarchy with a model that “genuinely delivers on the prevention of waste”. In its update of a report originally published in 2009, “Waste as a Resource: A sustainable Way Forward”, IMechE is advocating for a rethink of recycling and waste policy.
• Seal Packaging acquired and launches Itsnotpaper bags; Luton-based Seal Packaging has recently been acquired by a packaging management team of Kevin Curran, Sally Gabbitas, and Kevin Prosser, as a ‘vehicle to launch new ranges of sustainable packaging’.
• Selfridges targets 45% of transactions to come from circular products; Selfridges says, as part of its recognition of the need for radical transformation to address the climate emergency, it has set a new “ambitious” target for 45% of transactions across its four stores and online to come from circular products and services by 2030, and to only stock products that meet strict environmental and ethical standards.
• Boohoo praised for proactive Plastic Packaging Tax work; Packaging data services specialist Ecoveritas has highlighted Boohoo Group’s proactive work in ensuring suppliers are aligned to comply with the UK Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT). The online fast fashion brand revealed last week that HMRC had charged for some polybags and does not have the certificate to confirm the recycled content. Boohoo has covered the cost of any HMRC charge so far but plans on transitioning that responsibility ‘in the near future’. 
• Campaign urges MPs and Peers to support “genuine solutions” to energy crisis; MPs and Peers returning to Parliament today (5 September) are being urged by the Warm this Winter campaign to back calls to lower energy bills by reducing the UK’s “dependency” on gas. A briefing to MPs and Peers from the Warm this Winter campaign calls on Parliamentarians to push for a “coherent plan” to wean the UK off gas through a national rollout of home insulation and affordable renewables. The campaign is also demanding that the new government provides more direct emergency financial support for everyone this winter but particularly low-income households.
• Construction commences on £30m Resource Recovery Park; Recycling company Re-Gen has started work on its £30 million circular economy resource park in Newry which it says will involve 250 people in the construction of the new manufacturing and industrial units. The eight-acre site in the Invest NI Carnbane Business Park will accommodate several operations including the manufacture of solid recovered fuel (SRF), making products from dry recyclables, a garage, and an engineering workshop.
• Colpac invests for multi-food pot manufacture to the UK; Colpac has launched a new range of FSC-certified multi-food pots which are manufactured at its UK factory. Multi-food pots are food-to-go packaging which can cater for a wide range of dishes. With a maximum of 7% plastic in the bases, Colpac’s new range of multi-food pots easily meets the OPRL guidelines for recyclability for 2023 and beyond.
• UK’s biggest reuse centre hits 50,000 items repaired and resold; The UK’s biggest reuse and repair facility has renovated and resold more than 50,000 items in its first year, which it says has diverted over 500 tonnes of material from going to landfill. The Renew Hub, based at Trafford Park in Greater Manchester, says it has created 20 new jobs and it is now launching its own non-profit online shop to sell antiques, furniture, and collectables. The Renew Hub is a 5000m2 operation that brings together mechanics, qualified technicians, specialist tradespeople, charities, and social enterprises to repair, recycle, reuse, and sell preloved items that would have gone to waste across nine of the boroughs of Greater Manchester.