Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Amendments

18 March 2016

What is the new legislation:
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2016
What is the amended legislation: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007; The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007
Who does this affect: UK
When does this change take place: 24th February 2016

These Regulations amend the existing legislation establishing the system of packaging waste producer responsibility in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, namely the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 and the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.

The intent of the Regulations is to make Producer Responsibility more efficient by reducing regulatory burdens on producer businesses. It is believed that by freeing producers to focus on core elements of the system, it will be more likely that environmental outcomes and EU-imposed targets will be achieved.

The amendments made by the Regulations include:

The removal of the requirement to provide operational plans;
The transfer of the approvals process from the appropriate authority to the appropriate agency;
Allowing an “approved person” to delegate the responsibility for signing off reports; and
Providing operators of schemes based in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the right to apply for approval from one approving body rather than two.

The full text of the Regulations may be found here.

Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk