The OTB is delighted to share that ERP Recycling is joining as a new OTB member.
ERP UK provides over 600 customers with compliance services for environmental legislation covering Packaging, WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and Batteries, all supported by their data services.
Background
Created in 2002 by Hewlett Packard, Electrolux, Sony and Proctor and Gamble, the European Recycling Platform (ERP) was established in response to the WEEE Directive that was being introduced across the EU. Their objective was to ensure that producers had a voice and were involved in the shaping of compliance regulations.
In 2014, ERP was acquired by the Landbell Group. Today, ERP and Landbell operate 32 Producer Compliance Schemes in 14 different countries; the only multi-country provider of compliance schemes and product take-back services.
Environmental Compliance Solutions
The core services provided in the UK are Packaging, WEEE and Batteries compliance. Additional data reporting services for voluntary sustainability initiatives aimed at the Food and Drinks sectors, like the On Pack Recycling Label and Plastics Pact, are also available.
Changing Data Requirements
The UK Government has several packaging-related consultations currently running, including one for the packaging regulations, which is likely to see a major upheaval in 2023. Richard Dove, who is the main contact for OTB members at ERP, expects that, amongst other changes, data requirements will become a lot more onerous; “At the moment companies are reporting by weight and material type, but the system is going to change and we expect data to need to be reported at the component level and include more variables, such as polymer type for plastics, and recyclability and percentage recycled-content.”
Plastics Packaging Tax
From April 2022, there will be a £200 per tonne tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content, which will affect importers as well as plastics converters. As such, companies need to be thinking about the additional data reporting requirements now. ERP is already collecting this level of data on behalf of major retail customers who are a signatories of the UK Plastics Pact – an initiative to reduce plastics in the supply chain and improve the sustainability of packaging – and the On Pack Recycling Label (OPRL), the UK’s leading recycling labelling system. While the latter is not mandatory it is thought that it could become so under the new regulations.
Quality Service
ERP seeks to provide excellent customer service as well as compliance for members, being accredited for ISO 9001 and 14001, and representing member interests on a number of industry stakeholder organisations. Indeed, ERP UK’s Packaging scheme was rated as excellent by the Environment Agency, demonstrating “evidence of exceptional performance and best practice.”
OTB member, Clearspring is an ERP UK customer and had this to say: “We switched to ERP at the end of last year after considering several other packaging compliance schemes. Their Business Development Manager gave us his dedicated attention to make the switch smooth and ensure we were fully set up to make our data submission.
We certainly benefitted from his keen eye for detail and long industry experience when going through and improving our data tables. Beyond submission, our experience has so far been positive. We appreciate the good communication and friendly, professional support, as well as the competitive fees.”
OTB webinars
ERP will be providing 2 webinars for OTB members over the next 6 months which will include information on the Packaging Regulations and consultation, the Plastics Tax and other sustainability issues. Details will be shared in OTB newsletters.
Offers for OTB members
To celebrate joining the OTB, ERP UK is offering OTB members complimentary ERP membership fee (1 year) if they join their Packaging Compliance scheme.
ERP is also offering a data assurance check for registered producers, where they can assess your business activities and data calculations to ensure that you are reporting correctly for the Packaging Waste Regulations, something which has financially benefitted many of their new customers. In addition, they will provide the data assurance check for other companies, which will confirm whether they are legally required to register. The cost of this service is £250, but it will be refunded is you join ERP UK’s Packaging Compliance scheme.
If you would like to find out more about the services that ERP UK provides please email Richard Dove, Business Development Manager at ERP Recycling.
