At the upcoming LARAC Wales Conference on July 8, Alupro is set to unveil its commitment to assist Welsh councils in achieving their Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (EPR) targets. Held at the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff, this event gathers senior industry representatives to address the key challenges and opportunities facing the waste and recycling sector, particularly in relation to food and drink packaging.
With a significant wave of legislative changes imminent for local authorities, Alupro aims to guide councils through the necessary transformations. This initiative is designed to help them seize the opportunities presented by these changes while successfully meeting ambitious targets aligned with national zero waste goals by 2050.
Leveraging its extensive national network and robust membership base, Alupro will offer insights and expertise, enabling Welsh councils to fulfill expectations effectively. Furthermore, through its latest communications initiatives, Alupro plans to foster engagement, education, and behavior change, ultimately creating measurable impacts on food and drink sustainable packaging.
During the LARAC Wales Conference, the Alupro team will be available to elaborate on its EPR commitment and share recent case studies from its MetalMatters and Every Can Counts campaigns, specifically highlighting their relevance to food and drink packaging.
Tom Giddings, executive director of Alupro, stated: “While businesses in Wales have been collecting and reporting packaging data since mid-2023 to support EPR roll-out, the scheme’s financial obligations are only being implemented this year. While EPR presents vital funding to bolster local authorities’ recycling efforts, there remains uncertainty surrounding the expectations for councils to secure 100% of the available funding.”
“Councils have swiftly adapted to new systems and processes aimed at managing recycling infrastructure costs. However, they are facing stringent targets and novel operational methods, all while striving to accelerate national progress toward zero waste by 2050—a challenge that places considerable pressure on local authorities.”
“Our goal is to partner with councils throughout Wales to help them achieve and even surpass their targets. Effective public engagement and communication are critical for getting everyone involved in the upcoming changes confidently. This is why we are pleased to see those responsible for funding EPR prioritize this aspect in their bids to become the Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO). Their focus on utilizing existing effective campaigns, which provide demonstrable returns on investment, is particularly encouraging.”
“We believe that offering our full support to local authorities will be instrumental in accelerating national momentum and demonstrating to the PRO the significance of initiatives like MetalMatters in delivering ‘efficient and effective’ recycling services.”
For more information about Alupro and its latest consumer engagement programmes, including sustainable approaches for food and drink packaging, visit www.alupro.org.uk.
