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The UK government has raised the bar on packaging waste and recycling recovery targets, and wants nearly three-quarters of all packaging recovered by 2010. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) estimates that higher targets will save 8.6 million tonnes of CO2 being emitted each year.
New overall recovery targets of 72 per cent in 2008, 73 per cent in 2009 and 74 per cent in 2010 for packaging businesses are aimed at ensuring the UK meets its 2008 EU Directive target of recycling at least 60 per cent of packaging waste.
The UK's new targets for packaging businesses -- which include manufacturers, distributors and sellers of packaging materials -- exclude small businesses. Packaging businesses that handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year or have a turnover in excess of £2 million are obligated to comply with the new regulations.
The business recovery and recycling targets for Britain, which are used by businesses to calculate their obligations, include targets for recycling paper, glass, aluminium and plastic, as well as for general recovery.
Aluminium recycling is of particular concern. DEFRA is promising to work with industry and local authorities for significant improvements in the collection and sorting of aluminium, particularly for drinks cans in the household and on the street.
Not surprisingly, packaging manufacturers are looking to new materials as a way to reduce their carbon footprints. For instance, there has been considerable progress made in bioplastics in recent years. Not only are these derived from renewable biomass -- stuff like vegetable oil and corn starch rather than petroleum -- but they're also biodegradable. A new study estimates that bioplastics account for around ten to 15 per cent of the global plastics market.
According to the European Bioplastics Association, 200 million tonnes of plastics are produced each year, which accounts for around five per cent of all crude oil consumption. The association argues that packagers need to look to renewable energy sources for packaging not only for the green implications but to be insulated from the extreme price swings in crude oil costs. We could have guessed.
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