The European Commission (EC) Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62 EC) (as amended) introduced producer responsibility into the management of packaging materials and aims to minimise the impact of packaging waste on the environment by reducing the amount going to landfill. Member states are required to establish return, collection and recovery systems and to meet targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and amendments implement the Directive in Northern Ireland. These are designed to ensure that industry takes full responsibility for packaging wastes generated as a result of their commercial activities. The Packaging Waste Regulations
can be viewed on the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website.
Two amendments to the Regulations are now in effect:
, increased the recycling and recovery targets for producers., made changes to the requirements for accreditation of reprocessors and exporters of packaging waste.
The Packaging Waste Regulations places a duty on us to monitor compliance with the Regulations in Northern Ireland. There is also a requirement for us to publish an annual monitoring plan: NIEA Compliance Monitoring Plan 2010 (.PDF 208Kb).
Making the Most of Packaging, the new strategy published by Defra
, BIS [formerly BERR] and the Devolved Administrations sets a clear direction for packaging policy for the next ten years.