Packaging recycling data will be published on a monthly basis, under a new voluntary system that starts this week. The Environment Agency announced the move in a bulletin, explaining that the increase in frequency of packaging data reporting was to improve transparency and ease volatility in the packaging recovery note (PRN) markets.
The change in reporting has been agreed by Defra, the Environment Agency and the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP). In a trial for 2016, data from reprocessors and exporters on the volume of packaging material recovered or recycled will be published on a monthly, rather than a quarterly basis, on around the tenth day of each month. The Environment Agency has confirmed the new reporting will start on Wednesday 10 February 2016.
In its bulletin, the Environment Agency (EA) said there were ‘challenges during 2015 around the levels of packaging waste recycling and the availability of PRNs and PERNs’, explaining that a ‘lack of transparency on waste packaging received for processing contributed to this.’
Introducing a mandatory change in reporting frequency would require an amendment to the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Regulations, so the new system is voluntary but reprocessors and exporters are being asked to consider waste recording on the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) on a monthly basis. The EA says this will help provide a ‘more complete picture’ of the volume of packaging waste available and ease volatility in PRNs.
Clarity Environmental’s Commercial Manager, Chris Taylor, agrees that this change in approach would benefit the system: “Publishing monthly recycling and export data would certainly smooth over the vast peaks and troughs that we’ve seen as a result of the quarterly figures. It would also allow a more steady trade throughout the year and provide well-needed indicators to producers, reprocessors, exporters and compliance schemes. However, with the changes only implemented on a voluntary basis, we may not get a full picture on the availability of PRNs as some operators may not increase their reporting.”
Clarity has been buying and selling packaging recovery notes (PRNs) since our business started in 2002. We are now one of the largest and most experienced open market traders of PRNs. To talk to our team about buying or selling any grade of packaging recovery note (PRN), contact us on 0845 129 7177.
