LARAC urged DEFRA to support the existing and comprehensive local authority kerbside collection systems in its response to the recent call for evidence on DRS for drinks containers. LARAC has stated that DRS could help provide and expand an on-the-go collection infrastructure where the concept of proper producer responsibility could help increase UK recycling levels. LARAC is concerned that a wider DRS scheme for the UK will duplicate the kerbside collections leading to loss of material and income for local authorities already battling severe budget cuts.
LARAC points out in the response that there is UK coverage for the vast majority of drinks containers that end up in the home through council kerbside collections and more needs to be done to support these instead of introducing a competing collection system. LARAC has also called for more research on the impacts of DRS on recycling rates, costs and local authority operations in the UK, given the very small scale of the reports so far and their limited scope.
LARAC has taken the opportunity within the response to highlight extended producer responsibility as a policy area that DEFRA should explore further along with how a discretionary direct charging system might be considered for the UK. LARAC has also highlighted that councils are still shouldering the burden of complying with producer responsibility by pointing out that the vast sums they spend collecting packaging compared with the PRN funds producers say are available.
LARAC is keen to see producer responsibility applied in a better manner in the UK and believes the litter costs that local authorities bear is an area in which advances really could be made through DRS, especially for on the go drinks containers.
The LARAC response states that currently the cost burden of managing used drinks containers sits with local authorities and this is unsustainable. LARAC believes that there needs to be ongoing producer investment in UK collection schemes to ensure they operate through the long term and develop over time to deliver increasing levels of recycling. LARAC thinks that the current local authority collection infrastructure is best suited for the UK to achieve higher levels of recycling and so would want to see organisations such as LARAC and local authorities more generally involved in the research in this area. Ultimately producers and designers should be made more responsible for the consequences of dealing with their products and then the current vast cost on the public purse could be reduced.
