Defra seeking reaction to aluminium recycling shortfall

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is taking steps to improve compliance of aluminium reprocessors after the number of aluminium packaging waste recovery notes (PRNs) issued in the UK failed to meet statutory business targets for 2015.

In the second quarter of 2015, figures show only around 12,334 tonnes of aluminium were recycled, compared to the estimated 16,750 tonnes required per quarter to achieve the government’s target. The industry argues, however, that the actual recycling level is much higher, but that it is not being correctly reported because the PRN system is not fit for purpose, due to an onerous voluntary accreditation process.

Because of the shortfall in aluminium PRNs, the department has today (21 August) released a position paper outlining steps that will be taken to address operator accreditation for PRNs and packaging export recovery notes (PERNs) for aluminium.

Defra is urging unaccredited reprocessors and exporters to become accredited and encouraging compliance schemes to actively assist them in doing do, so that the requisite number of PRNs and PERNS are secured for producers. It is also asking reprocessors and exporters to ‘make every effort’ to recycle all available aluminium packaging waste and urging reprocessors and exporters to make PRNs/PERNs available to the market.

To encourage new operators to produce PRNs, Defra is regarding all those accredited after 1 January 2015 as being accredited to issue notes in relation to the total amount of waste received ‘over an extended period’.

In a statement, Defra said: ‘We expect producers and compliance schemes to comply with their packaging recycling and recovery obligations. If there are instances of non-compliance identified at the end of the year, the Environment Agency, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency will take appropriate enforcement action.’

Actions that Defra says could be taken by the various agencies would seek to eliminate any financial gain from non-compliance and could include criminal conviction.