News

22nd May 2003

Unrealistic packaging law could cost billions

Unrealistic and potentially damaging new waste disposal laws have been supported in the European Parliament this morning. New increased recycling and recovery targets for packaging have been set, and a 2006 deadline has been imposed.

The British Government has estimated that bringing forward the deadline to 2006 could cost the UK over £2 billion in additional costs.

John Bowis MEP, Conservative Spokesman on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Policy in the European Parliament, said:

"Higher recovery and recycling targets are an important aim. We all want to see a reduction in the amount of packaging waste, but laws need to be realistic.

"The only way that the UK could reach a target in such a short time frame would be a Government-funded collection of household waste, which could mean another council tax rise for British taxpayers or vast additional cost for UK industry.

"The UK does need to catch up with much of Europe in its recycling, but present efforts could be ruined by pushing too far, too fast. Too much haste will be counterproductive - the UK's market-based system is leading to welcome increases in our recovery and recycling performance but it needs time to develop.

"It is important to challenge industry to meet greater targets, but it must be in a realistic timescale. Changes cannot be made overnight, however much we would like to achieve them."