Since 1997, the Packaging Waste Regulations have required food producers to prove that they are paying the correct amount into the national collection and recycling infrastructure by purchasing PRNs in proportion to projected volumes of packaging used.
Compliance schemes act as the interface between producers and recyclers. But up to now, they have been unable to provide much transparency about how PRNs are generated or how PRN income is spent.
‘As transparent as possible on sustainability’
Innocent Drinks’ packaging operations manager Graham Fox said: “As a business, we want to be as transparent as possible on sustainability, and to be able to demonstrate the impact we are having.”
His view is that positive impacts on packaging recycling should be as measurable as, say, water or energy usage. “If we can demonstrate that we have created so many jobs in recycling, for example, that’s great.”
Innocent is one of the producers working with compliance scheme Ecosurety on its Circularety web-based platform. This is now in a beta trial stage until January 1, when producers will be able to transact with the site.
The platform allows producers to match their PRN obligations against specific projects and investments presented on the website by reprocessors. The credentials of recyclers and the status of their projects will all be monitored by ecosurety.
Speaking at the Circularety launch on September 27, Ecosurety md James Piper described traditional PRN mechanisms: “These are markets that are murky and where there are opportunities for better use of technology.”
£565M of PRN payments
Over the past decade, about £565M of PRN payments had been spent on UK recycling, he said. But a search turned up media reports on how only 1% of that sum was actually invested.
PRNs have often been seen by producers as a tax, Piper said. The aim with Circularety was to allow food producers to see the positive impact of their PRN payments and use it for marketing purposes.
Innocent is hoping to benefit. “We are moving out of 750ml gabletop cartons and into large polyethylene terephthalate [PET] bottles for our smoothies,” said Fox. “It is simply that sales in PET are going up, and we have to listen to our consumers. As a result, we will be aiming for a PET stream that is as sustainable as possible.”
He added: “We’re in the process of making a commitment to having 30% recycled PET content in all our packaging. That means we want to see better, more consistent PET feedstock quality.”
Innocent said it plans to move out of gabletop cartons by the end of the year, but will keep the ‘wedge’ carton format for its 180ml children’s packs.