Clarity Environmental hosts webinar to help prepare businesses for EPR

Clarity Environmental is hosting a webinar to help obligated producers prepare for the second round of consultations into changes to the UK producer responsibility system for packaging waste.

The free webinar will give an overview of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and the current stage in the government reforms. It will also provide detail on the important areas for businesses to consider when preparing for the potential changes to legislation. Register here.

Hosted by Martin Trigg-Knight, Head of Packaging, and Charlotte Briggs, Policy and Engagement Lead, the webinar will take place on Wednesday 3rd February 2021 at 11am. With an introduction to the current situation and explanation into the proposed options, this is the first in a series of webinars looking specifically at Extended Producer Responsibility.

Martin Trigg-Knight explained the importance of attending and gaining insights ahead of the second round of consultations: “The packaging compliance landscape looks likely to change dramatically over the coming years, with the second round of consultations expected in Spring 2021.

“Whilst we are firmly behind the environmental objectives of the reforms, we are fully aware that some of the sectors that will be most affected by packaging reforms, have been the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. It is essential that businesses understand how these changes may impact them, and that they have time to prepare and adapt. We are committed to supporting our packaging compliance members through these changes and ensuring they are in a position to respond to the consultation in an informed manner.”

What is Extended Producer Responsibility?

As part of the UK Resources and Waste Strategy, published first in December 2018, the government is introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging producers. EPR proposes that those who place packaging on to the UK market should be responsible for up to 100% of the costs of recycling these materials, in line with the polluter pays principle. The policy seeks to reduce the amount of unnecessary and difficult to recycle packaging and increase the amount of packaging that can and is recycled. It suggests that the full net costs of managing packaging waste are placed on those businesses who use packaging and who are best placed to influence its design, this could see packaging producers paying ten times more than the cost of compliance in 2017. The changes to producer responsibility had previously been expected to take effect from 2023. However, the government’s spending review, released in November 2020, noted an implementation date of 2024.

Join our webinar

Join us on Wednesday 3rd February 2021 at 11am for our EPR webinar, covering the following topics:

• What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
• What is the current progression of EPR and when can we expect it to take effect?
• How will businesses be impacted?
• Potential changes to legislation
• Next steps in the consultation process
• How should businesses be preparing

Click here to sign up to the webinar.