International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

13.2 Where Has the Policy Been Applied and Why?
All EU Member States are forced to transpose the Producer Responsibility Directive(s)
as specified in the European Union's Fifth Environment Action Programme. One of the
key Directives is the Packaging Waste Directive. 250 The method of transposition
differs from country to country. Some of the more interesting (or most distinct)
approaches are outlined below.
In addition to EU Member States, several other countries, or states, have introduced
producer responsibility policies on packaging, sometimes under the heading of
‘product stewardship’. The following is intended to give a flavour of the manner of
implementation.
13.2.1 Germany
The details of the German implementation are discussed in Section 14.0.
13.2.2 Czech Republic
The Czech Green Dot system for packaging started with a voluntary agreement in
1999, which was supplemented by the obligation to recycle in 2001. In 2002, a
Packaging Act defined more precisely the obligations connected with handling
packaging and packaging waste. An increasing number of municipalities are now
involved in the system.
Producers of packaging pay a subscription to the Green Dot system, based on the
amount of packaging they produce. This is then used to help pay for the collection
and recycling of packaging waste carried out by the municipalities and other
authorised waste handlers. There is now a de minimis clause in the policy to exempt
small producers.
There are different license fees payable by material and by type of packaging i.e.
whether it is consumer, trade, transport or industrial packaging.
13.2.3 United Kingdom
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005 are the
UK Government’s means of implementing the requirements of the Packaging Waste
250 Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste (OJ No. L 365, 31.12.1994, p. 10)
as amended by:
230
• Council Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 adapting to Council Decision 1999/468/EC the
provisions relating to committees which assist the Commission in the exercise of its
implementing powers laid down in instruments subject to the procedure referred to in Article
251 of the EC Treaty (OJ No. L 284, 31.10.2003, p. 1.);
• Council Directive 2004/12/EC amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging
waste (OJ No. L 47, 18.2.2004, p. 26.); and
• Council Directive 2005/20/EC amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging
waste (OJ No. L 70, 16.3.2005, p.17).
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