Officials at the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs are seeking views on changes to waste packaging recycling targets – with a number of options considered up to 2020.
These options include keeping the targets for paper, steel, aluminium and wood packaging at the same level as 2017 through to the end of the decade or varying increases for different materials.
At present, targets for the materials next year include 55% for aluminium, 76% for steel, 69.5% for paper, 22% for wood and 79% for recovery.
If it opts to boost the targets by 2020, Defra could include steep rises for paper, wood and steel – of 5.5% 24% and 6% respectively – and a moderate rise for aluminium of 6%.
But an alternative option the department has considered includes a steep rise for aluminium of 9% and a moderate rise for the other materials: paper (2.5%), wood (9%) and steel (6%).
The further goals are required under the terms of the EU’s Packaging Directive, and targets for glass and plastic packaging have already been set up to 2020.
Defra is requesting stakeholder responses to its consultation on the targets by 6 January 2017 and as yet has no preferred option.