British Glass, the trade association representing the UK glass manufacturing industry, is voicing significant concerns following the recent announcement of base fees for the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. While the association supports the overarching goals of the EPR, which aims to make producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, they are deeply troubled by the weight-based fee structure that has been proposed.
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Disproportionate Fees on Glass
The EPR scheme is designed to integrate the costs of disposal and recycling into product design, thereby encouraging more sustainable packaging practices. However, British Glass argues that the current weight-related fees disproportionately penalize glass packaging, compared to other materials. This could lead to severe consequences for the glass industry, including potential job losses and a shift towards less sustainable materials.
Dr. Nick Kirk, Technical Director at British Glass, had strong reservations about the fee structure in the association’s press release. He expressed the continuous support of sustainable practices by British Glass, along with the principles behind the EPR scheme. However, the weight-based fee structure fails to recognize the unique benefits of glass as a packaging material, since it is 100 % recyclable, it can be recycled an infinite number of times and has a low environmental impact.
Unequal Impact Compared to Other Materials
Dr. Kirk continued by saying that the decision of adoption higher fees for lighter packaging materials is welcomed, but also urged Defra to go even further by adopting a units-based approach. This way they will avoid compromising the glass industry, since EPR in its current form is not a material-neutral policy.
The newly announced base fees have sparked concerns that they could prompt manufacturers to switch to lighter, less sustainable packaging materials to avoid higher costs. The disparity is further highlighted by the fact that materials like plastic and aluminum, which are set to be included in the future Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) of October 2027, will not be subject to EPR fees for the time being. This additional two-year period without waste policy costs creates an uneven playing field, giving an overall disadvantage to the glass industry.
Call for Fee Structure Revision
British Glass has called for a reevaluation of the fee structure before the second set of illustrative base fees in September of 2024, advocating for a shift to a units-based approach, rather than one based on weight. Dr. Kirk argues that such a change would better reflect the environmental impact of individual packaging units, rather than the weight of materials, thereby preventing market distortions. Additionally, the association has urged the government to delay the introduction of EPR until it aligns with the DRS, to restore cost parity between glass and other beverage packaging materials.
Conclusion
While the EPR aims to enhance sustainability by holding producers accountable for the lifecycle of their products, the current weight-based fee structure could unintentionally favor lighter packaging materials, leading to market imbalances and potentially adverse effects on the glass sector. To address these issues, a reconsideration of the fee system and alignment with other upcoming initiatives like the Deposit Return Scheme might be essential to ensure a fair and effective policy that supports sustainability without disadvantaging any particular industry.
