Review Of The Producer Responsibility Initiative Model In ... - Repak

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ecycling targets over the next ten years. The challenges we are now facing, which are set out in Section 1.5 necessitate a re-examination of the existing concept, structure, organisation and rules of both the PRI model and compliance schemes which are currently in operation in Ireland. 1.5. Challenges. These prevailing challenges are set out at (a) to (d) below: (a). Economic situation. Given the current economic situation, firms are examining all aspects of expenditure and seeking to lower their costs. Environmental compliance cost is no different to any other cost in the financial management of a business and lower environmental compliance costs are actively being sought from the compliance schemes. It is therefore of crucial importance that the recycling compliance sector is competitive. The increasing value of metal and commodity prices is creating difficulties in terms of encouraging illegal operators to enter the market, competing with and, in certain cases, depriving the compliance schemes of WEEE. In tandem with the existing efforts of both local authorities and the Office of Environmental Enforcement to tackle illegal operators, we will need to examine our existing waste regulations and systems to ensure that illegal operators are effectively tackled and that the compliance schemes continue to get access to feedstock. It is also important that we examine our communications with the general public to ensure they continue to understand messages regarding appropriate end–of-life recycling from the perspective of legitimate business and the protection of the environment and the environmental and other consequences associated with illegal operators. (b) Programme for Government. The current Programme for Government (PfG) makes a commitment to drive a waste reduction programme through the extension of producer responsibility initiatives. In meeting this objective one of the aims of this review will be to identify what current waste streams would benefit from having their existing PRI either further developed or amended to ensure that Ireland meets the relevant EU targets. This review should also help identify, with the necessary consultation with all stakeholders, what other waste streams might be suitable for the development of further PRIs or voluntary agreements with producers regarding eco-design and the management of end-of-life waste products. One of the central themes of the PfG is to increase competitiveness and create jobs. This Department expects that this review will enable the PRIs to meet future increased domestic and EU recovery and recycling targets, make the PRIs more efficient and effective and produce the dual benefits of lowering costs of compliance for business while increasing compliance levels. The lower compliance costs should also assist in the broader PfG aims of securing existing jobs and growing new employment opportunities. (c) Regulatory Environment. In the regulatory environment, both at a domestic and EU level, it is expected that there will be new waste stream recycling targets. It is necessary to examine the current structure of some of the existing PRIs to ensure that they will be able to deliver upon new and increased recovery and recycling targets. The review is expected to identify if there are areas where we must make urgent and immediate changes to meet our targets, achieve the crucially important environmental objectives involved, and avoid possible infringement action by the European Commission. 10
We must both anticipate and respond to the needs of existing and future compliance scheme companies. Some existing compliance schemes have indicated a wish to expand their operations into other waste streams in order that they might reflect the wishes of their members to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ scheme that can meet their recycling needs across different waste streams. In addition, new operators may also wish to enter the recycling market to operate as compliance schemes. If there is a developing trend whereby multiple compliance schemes operate in a waste stream, then we need to examine the need to alter the existing regulatory framework in terms of the present operation, structure and rules underpinning the PRI system, including the procedures for the approval of compliance schemes. Any new regulatory system would need to ensure that competition is facilitated, works effectively, reduces costs to producers whilst maintaining a high level of environmental compliance. The area of self-compliance by producers in various waste streams will also need to be fundamentally examined. We need to ensure that self-compliance is being monitored and to also ensure that the relevant recycling activities are being undertaken and are being properly accounted for in domestic and EU targets. In addition, it is crucial that selfcompliers do not enjoy an unwarranted competitive advantage in comparison to members of compliance schemes. (d). Reengineering of the compliance schemes. As indicated in the preceding section, a primary focus of this review will be to examine the operation, structure and rules of the PRI schemes particularly where it is a possibility that certain waste streams will have to plan for multiple compliance schemes and where these individual schemes potentially manage more than one type of waste. In this scenario, it will be necessary to examine how such a system would operate from a number of perspectives, including the geographic market breakup, if any, of the compliance schemes, the operation of the black box (secure, confidential collection of data, ensuring its integrity), the information and awareness regime and the ability of firms and producers to switch between individual schemes. Also, we also require an examination on the feasibility to assign the responsibility for the achievement of targets to compliance schemes. The primary activities of the compliance schemes since their inception have been in the areas of waste collection, recovery and recycling. It will be necessary, while continuing these activities, to increase the focus of the compliance schemes on the prevention of waste and, in regard to WEEE and packaging waste streams, to develop a policy to further develop the implementation of reuse in Ireland, in accordance with the priority order of the waste hierarchy in Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC. Another issue is the co-operation between the schemes on a broad range of issues; what structure or processes would ensure the most efficient, competitive delivery of requirements in a co-ordinated manner. The appropriate contribution of self-compliers to key cross-cutting issues, such as information and awareness raising, also need to be examined. We are aware that Irish people wish to recycle so we should ensure that they have clear information and awareness messages which will provide maximum return and negate any possible confusion for consumers by exposure to multiple awareness messages from different compliance schemes. We also need to examine from what sources consumers receive their decisive recycling messages and ascertain the impact on consumer behaviour from the messages that are provided both from the compliance schemes and other sources. 1.6. Steering Group. 11
Page 1 and 2: Request for Tender For Consultancy
Page 3 and 4: 7 PROJECT REVIEWS. 8 PROJECT OUTPUT
Page 5 and 6: Minister. These producer responsibi
Page 7 and 8: A Communication from the European C
Page 9: The policy will be sufficiently fle
Page 13 and 14: The study should examine and report
Page 15 and 16: eviewed, the possible introduction
Page 17 and 18: initiatives such as deposit and ref
Page 19 and 20: 2.7. Tyres. 2.7.1 Introduction. The
Page 21 and 22: 2.10.2. Competition. A central focu
Page 23 and 24: initiatives, we are required to red
Page 25 and 26: An administrative proposal, to incl
Page 27 and 28: Knowledge and experience in success
Page 29 and 30: the case of a non-resident tenderer
Page 31 and 32: 8.6. The Department may publish the
Page 33 and 34: SCHEDULE 1 - PROJECT ORGANISATION P
Page 35 and 36: 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35
Page 37 and 38: FORM OF TENDER TO: ……………
Page 39 and 40: Appendix 2 ARTICLE 45 OF EU DIRECTI

Review Of The Producer Responsibility Initiative Model In ... - Repak

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