Agenda item

Report attached

The JEC were updated following the publication of the latest consultation exercises arising from the national resources and waste strategy proposals.

The JEC previously received reports regarding the first consultation exercises:

·        On 14 June 2019, highlighting the STWWMP responses to the three consultation exercises; and

·        On 13 September 2019, providing an overview of the consultation outcomes that were published by Defra.

On 25 March 2021, government published the next series of consultation exercises, which covered two topics:

·        Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; and

·        Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging

However, the anticipated third consultation exercise updating the previous proposals regarding the introduction of consistent recycling collections for all households and businesses remains delayed, with government recently announcing that its publication has been held back until after the local elections that are taking place in May. No additional details for the further delay have been provided.

This is a particularly significant consultation exercise for local authorities as further clarification is expected around key proposals, such as the provision of free-of-charge garden waste collections to all households with gardens and mandatory separate collection of food waste.

DRS Consultation

The JEC were advised that whilst government remains committed to delivering on its commitments to introduce a DRS, it also recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the economy and society. This has resulted in many people reassessing their values, decisions, and priorities in both the immediate and longer term. Therefore, it is now anticipated that the introduction of a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will now be delayed until later 2024 at the earliest.

EPR Consultation

The joint EPR consultation has been issued by all four United Kingdom governments and contains 104 questions in total.

In 2019, approximately 11.7 million tonnes of packaging was placed on the UK market. The proposals being covered in this consultation are concerned with reforms to the packaging waste regulations, which have been in place since 1997. Initial reforms were outlined in the first consultation, which seek to transform the current PRN (packaging waste recovery note) system to ensure packaging manufacture pay for the full costs of managing the disposal of their packaging waste at its end of life, with higher fees being levelled if packaging is harder to reuse or recycle.

One of the key principles for extending producer responsibility for packaging is to enable fair and transparent payments to local authorities for the cost of collecting and disposing packaging waste from both the residual and recycling waste streams.

The JEC were advised that stakeholders are invited to respond to the consultation exercises within a ten and a half week period, with both consultation exercises closing at 23.45 on 4 June 2021.

The joint partnership team will now develop a series of internal consultation exercises aimed at developing a joint partnership response to each consultation. This will include direct discussions with elected members/portfolio holders and senior service managers in each of the partner authorities.

The process will also involve close working with all current external waste service providers, and public sector waste organisations, such as the LARAC and the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers (NAWDO).