Defra names new leader for Extended Producer Responsibility program

UK – The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the United Kingdom has appointed Dr. Margaret Bates as the Head for the UK Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging Scheme Administrator.

Currently serving as the managing director of OPRL, a not-for-profit organization facilitating businesses in accessing on-pack recycling and refill labels, Bates will embark on this new role on a secondment basis for up to two years.

The UK’s EPR scheme aims to shift the financial burden of packaging waste management from taxpayers to packaging producers, compelling them to bear the entire cost of handling packaging waste from households.

This shift incentivizes producers to minimize packaging use, promote recyclable packaging, and achieve higher recycling targets.

Although the scheme’s initiation was initially set for October 2024, it has been deferred to 2025, drawing significant criticism.

Bates will spearhead the implementation and preparedness of the Scheme Administrator, serving as the linchpin for the EPR scheme’s execution from 2025 onwards.

Expressing her perspective on the pivotal role, Bates views it as a significant opportunity to galvanize the industry towards an effective EPR, ensuring fair transferal of packaging waste responsibility to producers while prioritizing environmental preservation.

She emphasizes her intent to listen attentively and leverage her experience in addressing the diverse concerns of stakeholders to devise a scheme aligned with agreed-upon timelines and a unified goal.

Bates has been at the helm of OPRL since 2020 and previously held the position of Professor of Sustainable Waste Management at the University of Northampton.

With over three decades of involvement in waste management and a doctoral background in landfill microbiology, her expertise underscores her suitability for this role.

The UK government’s decision to defer the EPR scheme until October 2025 was made in consultation with devolved administrations and industry stakeholders.

This postponement is aimed at mitigating inflation, which stood at 7.9% in June. Additionally, it allows businesses time to collaborate with local government on the scheme’s execution.

Defra emphasizes the government’s commitment to eliminating avoidable waste by 2050, targeting a 65% recycling rate for municipal waste by 2035.

The EPR scheme is positioned as a pivotal component in realizing these goals, complementing other measures such as the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) and forthcoming bans on single-use plastic items.

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