Claire Shrewsbury, Director of Innovation and Change, WRAP described the announcement as bittersweet and said: “While we appreciate the complexities of introducing these changes, the announcement of a delay to the EPR packaging reforms is deeply frustrating given the climate crisis and the urgency to meet the UK’s net zero commitments.
The further worry is that this delay will have a knock on impact on implementing other policy reforms such as consistent collections of recycling. Mandatory food waste collections can help reduce food waste in the home and we know that food waste is costing households £730 a year. We would urge that Defra moves ahead with them.
Nearly 200 organisations have signed up to the UK Plastics Pact Voluntary Agreement and have made significant progress towards all of their targets but less so on Target 3 which is focused on effective recycling.
Nonetheless, WRAP will press ahead with what it can do and we will play our part in ensuring the best outcome for these reforms".
Notes to Editor
- WRAP is a climate action NGO working around the globe to tackle the causes of the climate crisis and give the planet a sustainable future. Our vision is a thriving world in which climate change is no longer a problem. We believe that our natural resources should not be wasted and that everything we use should be re-used and recycled. We bring together and work with governments, businesses and individuals to ensure that the world’s natural resources are used more sustainably. Our core purpose is to help tackle climate change and protect our planet by changing the way things are produced, consumed and disposed of.