LARAC is surprised that DEFRA appears to be pushing ahead with an all-in DRS, following comments from Michael Gove on 16th July, when they are still going through the responses to the consultation on DRS which closed in May.
LARAC, along with large parts of the industry, called for DRS to be deferred while we implement the huge changes consistency and EPR will bring.
By the time you read this one of our Vice-Chairs, Dan Roberts, will have given evidence to the House of Commons EFRA Committee (17 July) on its inquiry into plastic food and drink packaging (see his evidence here). This will be the fourth appearance for LARAC in front of a House of Commons Committee as well as having appeared at a Welsh Assembly one. It is a very important part of the policy work that LARAC does and is an opportunity to get the situation local authorities face at the moment in front of national politicians. These committees usually produce reports that DEFRA has to respond to/take into account, so you are getting right into the policy making process.
There’s a saying that you can’t have too much of a good thing, which you can interpret in many ways.
It’s awards season in the world of waste, resources and recycling, which showcases the hard work being done in our industry.
One day after our CEO, Lee Marshall and our Chair, Carole Taylor were attending the final event of the year for our 2018 scholars they had their heads down and were assessing the intake for 2019. From a tour of a Manchester lamp and battery recycling plant followed by a roundtable discussion on how we increase the capture of small WEEE with last year's REPIC scholars, it was straight back to their various offices to start looking in detail at the applications for the 2019 intake.