Nick Kirk, Technical Director at British Glass, met with Dan Jarvis MP, Minister for Security and MP for Barnsley North, at Ardagh Group’s glass packaging production site in Barnsley to discuss the disproportionate impact of the proposed packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) fees on glass packaging.
Under the current proposals, glass could be liable for a third of the GBP 1.5 billion pEPR costs, despite making up less than 5 percent of total UK packaging. Since pEPR payments to local authorities are not ring-fenced, there is a real risk these funds will not be reinvested into improving glass collection and sorting.
Meanwhile, the UK glass sector is facing growing competition from imported empty glass packaging, which benefits from lower gas and raw material costs but comes with higher carbon emissions. Since Brexit, glass packaging imports face no tariffs, while plastic and metal packaging imports carry a 6 percent tariff. British Glass is calling for a level playing field to ensure UK glass manufacturers can compete fairly.
Without changes, the current pEPR policy will drive brands away from glass to less recyclable alternatives—something already happening.
Dan Jarvis MP listened to the concerns and potential solutions presented by Ardagh Glass and British Glass, and both looks forward to working with the government to realign pEPR policy – supporting UK-manufactured recyclable glass packaging and increasing the quality and quantity of glass collected for recycling.