Revised Packaging Rules (EU)

On 24th April, the European Parliament adopted new rules, which are provisionally agreed with the European Council, that include packaging reduction targets (5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040) and require EU countries to reduce, in particular, the amount of plastic packaging waste.

To reduce unnecessary packaging, a maximum empty space ratio of 50% is set for grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging; manufacturers and importers will also have to ensure that the weight and volume of packaging are minimised.

Certain single use plastic packaging types will be banned from 1 January 2030. These include packaging for unprocessed fresh fruit and vegetables, packaging for foods and beverages filled and consumed in cafés and restaurants, individual portions (for e.g. condiments, sauces, creamer, sugar), accommodation miniature packaging for toiletry products and very lightweight plastic carrier bags (below 15 microns).

Note: the text includes a ban on the use of so called “forever chemicals” (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances or PFASs) above certain thresholds in food contact packaging.

Specific 2030 reuse targets are foreseen for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages packaging (except e.g. milk, wine, aromatised wine, spirits), transport and sales packaging, as well as grouped packaging. Member States will be able to grant a five-year derogation from these requirements under certain conditions.

Final distributors of beverages and take-away food will have to offer consumers the option of bringing their own container. They will also be required to endeavour to offer 10% of products in a reusable packaging format by 2030.

Under the new rules, all packaging (except for lightweight wood, cork, textile, rubber, ceramic, porcelain and wax) will have to be recyclable by fulfilling strict criteria.

Measures also include minimum recycled content targets for plastic packaging and minimum recycling targets by weight of packaging waste.

By 2029, 90% of single use plastic and metal beverage containers (up to three litres) will have to be collected separately (via deposit-return systems or other solutions that ensure the collection target is met).

The text needs to be formally adopted by the Council, and then published. Once it is published, the document will be added to client EHS Legislation Registers & Checklists –

(1) UK – added to the reference EU law look up list (ENV)

(2) EU – added to the ENV Waste Register

Note: EU packaging rules are retained in Northern Ireland; so this document will apply in Northern Ireland unless there is a decision by the Executive to refer the matter under the Stormont Brake.

EU Law Revocation (Britain) UPDATE

The Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill (I posted about recently) is in Committee stage, and the Public Bill Committee (the relevant Committee) yesterday has asked for submissions to it – here.

You can see from the link, the purpose of the Bill is to sunset (remove from the statute book) certain types of law by end 2023. In particular, the Bill will completely overhaul a body of UK domestic law known as “retained EU law” (REUL). This is a category of law that came into being as a result of the UK exit from the EU. It includes both Retained EU instruments, and certain domestic laws that gain their authority in a particular way.

Note: when the Committee concludes its consideration of the Bill it is no longer able to receive written evidence and it can conclude earlier than the expected deadline of 5.00pm on Tuesday 22 November.

As I have written in the last Email Alert to clients, we will commence listing the laws to be affected shortly, and this list will display on Cardinal Environment Limited EHS Legislation Registers and Checklists from Jan 2023 (earlier drafts will display earlier) and be subject to tracking through 2023.

A very considerable number of laws will be affected.

We expect most affected laws to be replaced with new laws, covering the same obligations. The tracking evident on Legislation Registers and Checklists will identify progress.

We do not expect that obligations will be removed altogether. If a law is removed without a replacement, we expect the obligations to be inserted by amendment into other pre-existing law, and the tracking will identify this.

Nonetheless, this is a complex process.

Environment Bill (announced additions) (UK)

The long awaited and highly significant Environment Bill is revived in the current Parliament session. I Blog posted earlier that it would be.

The UK government has made 3 announcements in May –

(1) new legal duties on water companies and the government will be inserted to reduce sewage discharged into waterways – announcement is here

(2) a new additional legally binding target for species abundance for 2030 will be inserted – George Eustice Speech is here

Environmental targets in the Bill are summarised in the October 2020 updated August 2020 policy paper – here.

(3) a new power will be taken to refocus the Habitats Regulations – see George Eustice Speech

[The George Eustice Speech also makes further announcements on consultation and strategy publication in the areas of Nature, Peat and Trees.]

The Bill, as we see it now, was originally revived from the previous May Government after the 2019 general election.

In 2020, the majority of the 2019-2020 Bill provisions were substantially the same as its predecessor, although a number of minor technical changes had been made to the drafting. The substantive additions to the Bill (at the start of 2020) were :

• a requirement on Ministers to make a statement to Parliament setting out the effect of new primary environmental legislation on existing levels of environmental protection (Clause 19); and

• a requirement on the Secretary of State to conduct a two-yearly review of the significant developments in international legislation on the environment, and to publish a report on their findings every two years (Clause 20).

The Commons Library analysed the Environment Bill in March 2020 – here.

Most of the Bill extends to England and Wales and applies in England. There are some parts that extend to the whole of the UK or apply to specific UK nations. For example, there are specific provisions on environmental governance, managing waste and water quality that extend and apply to Northern Ireland only. Provisions on waste including producer responsibility, resource efficiency and exporting waste extend and apply to the whole of the UK, as do the provisions on environmental recall of motor vehicles, and the provisions on the regulation of chemicals.

Note – DEFRA has current consultations relating to the Environment Bill –

(1) Consultation on the Draft Policy Statement on Environmental Principles – here.

(2) Consultation on Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (a Deposit Return Scheme is already legislated for in Scotland) – here.

Plastic Bag Charge in law (England)

The legislation increasing the plastic bag charge in England was enacted yesterday 20 May, and comes into force today 21 May – this legislation is here. [I blog posted about this before]

It will be added to those Cardinal Environment EHS Legislation Registers & Checklists that monitor the Plastic Bag Charges. It amends the existing 2015 Order (the Carrier Bags Order).

[Separate legislation in Scotland, already added, has already increased the charge in Scotland.]

Article 3 amends the Carrier Bags Order by omitting the expiry date of 5th October 2022 in article 1(d), by which that Order would have ceased to have effect. Articles 6, 7, 10 and 11 make amendments to the Carrier Bags Order consequential on the omission of the expiry date.

Articles 4 and 8 amend the Carrier Bags Order in order to substitute a new definition of “seller”. This brings all sellers of goods under the obligation to charge in article 3 of the Carrier Bags Order and restricts the obligation relating to records in article 4 of, and Schedule 3 to, that Order to sellers within the meaning given in Schedule 1.

Article 5 amends the Carrier Bags Order in order to increase the minimum charge for each single use carrier bag (SUCB) supplied in a reporting year from 5 pence to 10 pence.

Article 9 amends the definition of SUCB in Schedule 2 to the Carrier Bags Order by amending the list of “excluded bags” in the table.

The effect of this is –

(1) The single-use carrier bag charge is increased to 10 pence and extended to all retailers in England from today (21 May). This includes small, medium and micro retailers (including airport retailers).

(2) An extra 10 pence is not chargeable if a charge of 10 pence or more is already charged for bags.

(3) Biodegradable bags are not exempt from the charge.

(4) Carrier bag use records or reports do not need to be made if the company employs fewer than 250 staff.

Plastic Bag Charge (England)

The UK government has just announced that the single-use carrier bag charge will be increased from 5p to 10p and extended to all businesses in England from 21 May.

The announcement is here. The guidance was updated on 30 April here – note the exceptions.

Scotland already raised the plastic bag charge, effective from 1st April 2021. This was reported in our March Email Alert. Note, plastic bag charges are temporarily suspended (Scotland) for certain types of delivery until 31 May.

Healthcare Waste (England)

Yesterday, 13th July, the Environment Agency issued guidance for regulated facilities with a permit to treat or transfer healthcare waste.

This guidance (a series of links) is – here.

This information includes definitions and examples of different types of healthcare waste.

This information will be relevant to producers of healthcare waste also.

COVID-19 EA Regulatory Position Statements (England)

I posted before about the Environment Agency’s Regulatory Position Statements (RPS), and the fact that the Agency is publishing RPS for the COVID-19 crisis.

Yesterday 21st April, the EA has issued further COVID-19 RPS. Here

You will note there are now quite a few of them.

COVID-19 Waste Management Practices (EU)

On the 14th April, the European Commission issued a document to guide EU member states in their management of waste during the COVID-19 crisis. Here

This document reiterates advice from EU-OSHA (separate blog post) on workplace management of COVID-19.

The EU waste management document spells out instructions applying in households, healthcare situations, and in waste management companies.

COVID-19 Environment Agency (England)

The Environment Agency (EA) issues Regulatory Position Statements (RPSs). These explain the situations and conditions when an environmental permit is not required.

The EA issued temporary RPSs last year in the run up to the Brexit Exit days.

The EA has now issued 3 temporary RPSs to deal with COVID-19 – here.

Two address waste issues, and one deals with water sampling.

The exceeding waste storage limits RPS is similar to the temporary Brexit RPS that was issued last year.

The full list of EA Regulatory Position Statements is – here.

COVID-19 Waste Shipment (EU)

On 16 March 2020, the Commission adopted Guidelines for border management measures to protect health and ensure the availability of goods and essential services.

On this basis, on 23 March 2020, the Commission adopted a Communication on the implementation of the Green Lanes under the Guidelines with specific recommendations designed to preserve the EU-wide operation of supply chains and ensure the functioning of the Single Market for goods, wherever internal border controls exist or have been introduced.

I blog posted about this at the time.

The European Commission issued (30th March) a Communication explicitly clarifying that the principles relating to transport of goods apply mutatis mutandis to shipments of waste.

This document is here.