A new study has found 83% of businesses are “not aware” of the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), which will be coming into force in April 2022.
The study by Veolia, in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 507 people. It found that, although many were unaware of the tax, it was largely supported by those questioned.
The Plastic Packaging Tax will charge £200 per tonne of plastic packaging placed onto the UK market that does not contain at least 30% recycled content. The tax seeks to encourage the use of recycled content in plastic packaging, stimulating end markets for recycled plastic.
The burden for businesses will come from the lowered de minimis, 10 tonnes of plastic packaging placed onto the market and the additional data required to reflect an accurate submission for HMRC, made quarterly.
The Plastic Packaging Tax is one of several legislative changes that will be happening in the coming years, with the tax targeting the highly publicised issues surrounding single-use plastic and its impact on the environment. By imposing this on plastic packaging, the government hopes to encourage businesses to look at current packaging designs, in turn creating demand for recycled material and driving up the need to collect and process plastic collected.
Historically, the UK has exported a vast amount of its plastic waste. In 2020, it exported 688,222 tonnes of plastic, which represented 58.4% of the total plastic waste collected that year. The Plastic Packaging Tax, along with the upcoming Resources and Waste Strategy, will be looking at ways to improve collection rates and the quality of waste collected for recycling.
