Compliance Schemes

DRS Resource deposit return scheme
What do new details of deposit return scheme mean for industry?

In a consultation response released today (20 January), Defra has confirmed details of the incoming deposit return scheme (DRS).

European Commission
What do EU plastic and packaging reforms mean for the industry?

Legislation aims to decrease instances of overpackaging and the use of virgin materials

Small waste electrical and electronic equipment
£2.5 million fund to drive collection of electrical waste

Material Focus initiative will encourage innovation to make recycling of small electrical waste products easier for the public

Tim Gent
The PRN system is ripe for reform, not replacement
By
Tim Gent
| 13 November 2020 |
Replacing the PRN system with an ‘all-in’ deposit return scheme is not the answer for glass, says Recresco director Tim Gent
View of City of London
City of London scheme cuts 36 million single-use plastic items
By
Lidia Creech
| 10 November 2020 |
The City’s ‘Clean City Awards Scheme’ has incentivised 106 companies to reduce their single-use plastic waste.
Cardboard packaging
Kong to fund environmental projects after breaching packaging regulations
By
Lidia Creech
| 27 October 2020 |
Dog toy company Kong has made a payout of almost £5,000 to environmental projects after being found by the Environment Agency (EA) to have breached packaging waste regulations in the years 2012-15.
Mixed bottles in a crate
88 per cent of Irish in favour of ‘all-in’ DRS
By
Lidia Creech
| 21 October 2020 |
A poll commissioned by environmental charity VOICE has revealed that almost 90 per cent of Ireland’s population is in favour of a deposit return scheme to include a wide range of drinks containers.
Waste illegally dumped on a piece of land
New cross-sector initiative to tackle waste crime is announced
By
Lidia Creech
| 20 October 2020 |
The Waste Compliance Taskforce (WACT) – an association of public and private regulators, businesses and charities – will be launched this week.
Industry calls for tougher action on WEEE treated as scrap metal
By
Charles Newman
| 7 October 2020 |
A new report published by WEEE Forum calls for action on the treatment of WEEE as scrap metal, urging competent authorities to penalise facilities that illegitimately incorporate WEEE into their unreported waste flows.
A collage of the main types of WEEE
Coronavirus sees Q2 WEEE collections fall short
By
Becky Goodall
| 2 September 2020 |
The latest collection figures for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for the second quarter of 2020 have been missed due to the severe disruption caused by coronavirus, according to data released by the Environment Agency (EA).
Biffa train.
News in Brief – 18/08/2020
By
Lidia Creech
| 18 August 2020 |
A round-up of news from the waste and resources industry, including Biffa, First Mile, J&B Recycling, Recycling Technologies and Fulcrum.
Piles of old computers.
Provisional WEEE Q2 figures show significant fall in collections
By
Becky Goodall
| 13 August 2020 |
Collection targets for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) for the second quarter of 2020 have been missed, according to provisional data released by the Environment Agency (EA).
Electronic waste
Global e-waste increases by 21 per cent in five years
By
Emma Love
| 3 July 2020 |
Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 has revealed a sharp rise in waste electrical and electronic waste, which is predominantly dumped or burned.
A computer circuit board
UK households sitting on £17bn of small electricals, says report
By
Lidia Creech
| 25 June 2020 |
A new study by Material Focus reveals UK households could have made £17 billion from second hand resale value of the old small electricals lying around their home – around £620 per household. 
Louise Grantham, CEO of REPIC
The impact of Covid-19 on the UK WEEE sector
By
Louise Grantham
| 12 June 2020 |
Louise Grantham, Chief Executive of REPIC, explores the impact of Covid-19 on the WEEE sector and how the recycling supply chain has been dealing with its effects.
Most WEEE to be classed as hazardous, says EA
Most WEEE to be treated as hazardous, says EA
By
Becky Goodall
| 10 June 2020 |
Most classes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the UK must now be classed as hazardous waste or containing persistent organic pollutants (POPs) unless it can be proved otherwise, according to updated guidance by the Environment Agency (EA).
WEEE section at an HWRC
WEEE compliance fee to take Covid-19 into account, says Defra
By
Becky Goodall
| 9 June 2020 |
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced yesterday (8 June) that any methodology for calculating the 2020 waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) compliance fee will take the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic into account.
WEEE report condemns high level of online free-riding
WEEE report condemns high level of online free-riding
By
Becky Goodall
| 5 June 2020 |
The European WEEE Registers Network (EWRN) this week released a report condemning online marketplaces for the high level of WEEE non-compliance of products sold on their platforms.
What the UK can learn from Italy’s compostable packaging EPR scheme
What the UK can learn from Italy’s compostable packaging EPR scheme
By
David Newman
| 4 June 2020 |
BBIA Managing Director David Newman looks at how Italy’s new EPR scheme for compostable packaging will work and what lessons it can provide the UK as it revises its packaging EPR system.
Packaging materials
WRAP and INCPEN to lead review of PackFlow reports
By
Becky Goodall
| 2 June 2020 |
The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN) are working with packaging compliance company Valpak to update the PackFlow material reports in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
WEEE Q1 collection figures ahead of 2020 target
WEEE Q1 collection figures ahead of 2020 target
By
Becky Goodall
| 1 June 2020 |
Collection figures for household waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) released today (1 June) by the Environment Agency (EA) for the first quarter of 2020 are slightly ahead of 2020 targets.
Plastics Tax consultation extended due to Covid-19
Plastics Tax consultation extended due to Covid-19
By
Becky Goodall
| 29 April 2020 |
The consultation period for the Plastic Packaging Tax has been extended by three months due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Defra to explore further support for waste industry
Defra to explore further support for waste industry
By
Becky Goodall
| 28 April 2020 |
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is to “explore the potential for further support” for the waste and resources sector as it rolls out a Covid-19 impacts survey.