Uk Government Consults On Packaging Waste Recycling Targets

New recycling targets for packaging waste in England and Wales have been proposed by the government's Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR). A brief consultation exercise is underway (closing date 22/09) in response to the realisation that the current targets are not high enough to ensure Britain's compliance with the EU directive on packaging and packaging waste. DETR proposals that the targets should increase from 52 to 58% for overall recovery (recycling and energy recovery), and from 16 to 18% for material specific recycling. The government believes that the increased targets will ensure that the UK meets the EU deadline.