Secondary navigation: links to other relevant sections

Not logged in

Click here to Login

Quick Links

Public Registers

Advisory Committee on Packaging

ACP Recruitment

Chair

We are looking for a new chair of the ACP Committee. The Chair will need to provide effective leadership to the Committee and will be responsible for its operation and outputs. This will include agreeing a work programme with Defra at the start of each financial year and reporting to Ministers on the Committee’s progress once a year. The successful candidate will have an outstanding record of professional achievement and personal credibility within a field relevant to the remit of the Committee. There is currently a major phase of reform of the whole packaging system, therefore the successful candidate should also have a strong knowledge of packaging and packaging waste across the whole value chain. For the full application information pack, please follow the link here.

Retail representative

We are looking for a new member of the ACP Committee to represent the retail industry. Applicants should have a strong knowledge of:
• the impact of the packaging regulations on the retail sector and the environmental and economic issues surrounding packaging design, use and disposal;
• the retail sector across the UK, and both the SME retail sector and the multiple retail sector.
Representation of the wider retail industry would also be an advantage through membership of a relevant trade association. For the full application information pack, please follow the link here.

The deadline for retailer applications is the 15th of September and for the chair the deadline is the 22nd of September. Applications should be sent to packaging@defra.gov.uk. More info on how to apply is in the links above.

Chair

Retail representative

Options for a reformed packaging producer responsibility scheme

Further to the ACP report regarding how the existing packaging producer responsibility system could be changed and improved (published December 2018), Defra asked the ACP to consider options for a reformed packaging producer responsibility scheme. The recommendations put forward by the ACP in this report have informed the consultation on Reforming the UK packaging producer responsibility system, which was launched on 18 February 2019. Specifically, the ACP report identifies three potential options, and highlights some of the advantages and issues associated with each. These options have underpinned three of the four future governance models put forward for stakeholder consideration in the consultation.

NEWS

ACP Best Practice Templates for Reprocessors and Exporters

The following documents are templates of best practice for reprocessors and exporters and will help applicants to focus applications on the information the regulators require. The business plan needs to be completed for each company and the relevant sampling and inspection plan and recording systems document for each reprocessor or exporter.

Best practice templates: Business Plan, Reprocessor S&I Plan, Exporter S&I Plan, Reprocessor Recording Systems, Exporter Recording Systems

Background

The Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) is designed to bring together industry expertise with a specific interest in packaging and packaging waste to advise and make recommendations to government to assist with their policy development on packaging reuse, recovery and recycling. Members represent various parts of the packaging chain, including businesses which have legal obligations under the Producer Responsibility Obligations as well as others who are involved in the management of packaging waste – local authorities, compliance schemes, waste management companies, reprocessors and exporters.

Terms of Reference

To support the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government (the Devolved Administrations) in those matters relating to packaging falling within their respective responsibilities. In doing so, the Committee will have regard to the different policy priorities across the UK, the possibilities to maximise the economic, environmental and social benefits of the reuse, recycling and recovery of packaging waste and any applicable EU requirements.

Membership

A new Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) has now been appointed with the following membership:

Chair:

Phil Conran - 360 Environmental

Members:

Rick Hindley – Alupro (trade body)
Matthew Demmon - MKD32 (glass exporter)
Simon Weston - CPI (trade body)
Adrian Hawkes – Valpak (compliance scheme)
Simon Stringer – NiPak/ScotPak (compliance scheme)
Garvin Freeman – Tata (reprocessor)
Andrew Bird – Newcastle-under-Lyme (local authority)
Roger Walton – Dover (local authority)
Alison Bramfitt – Nestlé (packer filler)
Mike Baxter – RPC bpi (reprocessor)
Stuart Hayward-Higham - Suez (waste management)
Kevin Vyse - M&S (retailer)
John Dye - Scott Pallets (wood producer)

Activity

The ACP has four Task Forces:

Task Force 1 Consider the actual costs for producers under the proposed EPR full costs recovery requirements.

Task Force 2 Consider opportunities for improving consumer communication for packaging waste recycling.

The Task Force has produced a comprehensive Guide to the PRN System with a particular focus on the use of PRN funds.

Task Force 3 (Phil Conran Chair) Consider packaging related opportunities to complete the circle as part of the debate on the revised Circular Economy Package.

Task Force 4 (Simon Stringer Chair) Consider whether the environment agencies are delivering optimal enforcement of the Packaging Waste Regulations.

An operational Technical Liaison Group (TLG) has also been set up that will meet on an ad hoc basis when issues arise that need round table discussion. Chaired by the ACP, this includes ACP members, representative from other relevant industry bodies, the 4 Agencies and Defra

In December 2017, the ACP published its Future Regulations paper considering the weaknesses of the current system and changes that should be included in regulatory reform.

Transparency and representation

The ACP is committed to full transparency. Agendas and Minutes from ACP meetings together with any relevant reports will all be published here.

Whilst membership is on an individual basis through appointment by the Minister, ACP members are there to represent industry in general and their sectors in particular. Anyone can therefore contact their relevant representative on the Committee if there is an issue they would like to be considered by the ACP.

ACP Meeting dates

Held at Nobel House, Defra:

TBA

ACP Meeting Agendas and Minutes

Agenda 28/01/15

Minutes 28/01/15

Agenda 28/04/15

Minutes 28/04/15 Revised

Agenda 28/07/2015 Revised

Minutes 28/07/15

Minutes 13/10/15

Minutes 26/01/16