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The United Kingdom’s packaging waste regulation system may not be effective in promoting recycling, according to the UK National Audit Office (NAO).
Currently, the UK government’s packaging waste regulation obligates large corporations to recycle a specific amount of their products’ packaging. Companies need to prove their compliance by buying packaging recovery notes from accredited recycling firms or waste exporters. The regulation aims to encourage companies to either lessen packaging use or make the materials easier to recycle to meet the recycling targets set by the European Union.
Although the UK government met the 2017 target, the NAO said that the increase in recycling rates was driven mainly by waste exports.
In addition, the NAO’s July report stated that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which monitors the packaging waste regulation, has not adequately implemented the system. According to the NAO, no evidence proves the recycling of exported packaging materials. Moreover, Defra failed to assess the system’s effectiveness in urging companies to recycle.
The NAO also pointed out China’s announcement about its plan to stop importing other countries’ waste, which may affect UK’s packaging waste regulation. Since 2012, British companies have sent materials for recycling to China, with the amount exceeding 2.7 million tons. The Asian country is known to accept recyclable materials for its manufacturing industry.
In light of China’s announcement, the United Kingdom increased its waste exports to other countries. The NAO stated that it is still unclear whether this move is sustainable. Thus, it recommends that the UK government must evaluate its system to establish effective reforms.