New rules to ensure producers pay for the cost of recycling their packaging have been deferred from October 2024 to 2025, the Government announced over the summer.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs said it had made the decision after ‘extensive engagement with industry, and in light of the pressure facing consumers and businesses in the current economic context’.
The decision to delay was described as “disappointing for councils” by Cllr Darren Rodwell, the LGA’s Environment Spokesperson.
He added: “It means we lose crucial momentum on ambitions to clean up our environment, while council taxpayers continue to pay for dealing with unnecessary and unrecyclable waste.
“Good packaging can be important for keeping products fresh and intact. But everybody can see the unnecessary waste, across our shop shelves, delivered to our homes, and into our bins.
“For instance, the UK gets through six billion bags of crisps a year, but there is usually more packet than crisps. They are nearly impossible to recycle, and that is just one item.
“The delay means there will be another year of excessive packaging impacting our environment and climate change, and further uncertainties and delays causing councils real difficulties in managing their long-term waste contracts.
“It is crucial now that government, industry and councils all put the foot to the floor in planning full implementation from 2025, and that government extends EPR to cover other material types beyond just packaging.”