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Packaging Recycling Action Group

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Published: 11/11/2008

Since March, Recoup has been involved in working with other key organisations as part of a cross industry packaging waste strategy group called the Packaging Recycling Action Group (PRAG).

PRAG includes representatives from:
· Major retailers and manufacturers
· Defra, Scottish and Welsh government agencies
· LGA
· LARAC & COSLA
· WRAP
· Compliance Schemes
· Material Organisations
· Recoup
· Incpen
· Major players from the waste industry

The aim of PRAG is to work with relevant stakeholders to minimise the amount of packaging used on products and to improve on the collection and recycling or recovery infrastructure for packaging from the consumer.

Its main areas of work are:
Standardising the waste streams collected by local authorities across the UK and achieving a reduction in the level of waste being landfilled
Ensuring that recycled packaging is of a high quality so that recycling systems are environmentally and economically sustainable
Communicating the benefits of these changes clearly to consumers to maximise their impacts

The four working groups set up to achieve these aims are: packaging design; finance; communications and local authority collections.

Recoup is involved in two of the working groups and chairs a sub-group. Recoup is also a member of the PRAG steering group, which co-ordinates the activities of the four working groups, and is chaired by Julian Walker-Palin of Asda Wal-Mart. One of the working groups which Recoup is particularly involved in is the packaging design group - chaired by Sion Stanfield, Head of Waste & Recycling at Tesco (a Recoup member) - which looks at design and innovation of packaging.

Three sub groups have been formed to carry out the vision for this group through the following work:
To compile a guide on best practice for packaging recyclability
To investigate the recyclability and scale of plastic packaging recovery
To devise a matrix that can be used by manufacturers and retailers to measure the sustainability of packaging design, not just the recyclability

Recoup has been progressing the first phase of work for the second objective – scoping a study to identify the main restrictions to increasing plastics recycling. Details have been outlined which will highlight the current approach taken and identify major issues, opportunities and risks. The next stage is to identify practical actions to increase plastics recycling and provide an impact assessment where appropriate of current negative actions. The report will also provide a best estimate of the percentage of non-bottle mixed plastics packaging in the domestic waste stream and highlight elements that cannot currently be recycled, and the associated reasons why. The results of this first phase will be finalised later this year.

John Simmons, CEO of Recoup, said: “PRAG’s work is invaluable in the areas of improving the quality and quantity of packaging waste being collected for recycling, and effectively and efficiently minimising the amount of packaging used on products. “Because key figures and organisations associated with the packaging industry are involved in PRAG, it means that the work carried out has a true cross industry approach and takes into account the opinions and ideas of all key stakeholders. It is vital for Recoup that we make use of the opportunities offered to us by PRAG in order for us to ensure that our work contributes to, and is in alignment with, the rest of the industry, and that our opinions and practical experience are heard by the widest possible audience.”