Wales - ranked third in the world for domestic recycling - has joined forces with other UK nations to introduce new ‘polluter pays’ rules to make businesses which place packaged goods onto the market pay for their waste to be recycled.
But Wales, alongside Scotland, is going one step further by committing to ensuring companies responsible for the most commonly-littered items that scourge streets, communities and the countryside, cover the clean-up costs.
Under the new rules, a standard recycling logo will be required on all packaging to help consumers know what they can put in their recycling bins.
Brand owners, importers, distributers and online marketplaces will be charged according to the amount and type of packaging they place on the market.
Industry will be penalised if their packaging is harder to reuse or recycle or if they fail to hit recycling targets. The fees they pay will be used to fund improved kerbside collections of packaging waste from households.
Payments to local authorities for the handling of packaging waste will begin in 2024.
Wales is also joining forces with England and Northern Ireland to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme, which will include PET glass bottles, steel and aluminium cans. However Wales, alongside Scotland, is going yet another step further by committing that glass bottles will also be included in the scheme.
Further details on the Deposit Return Scheme design will be published in due course.
Larger coffee shops and fast food chains will also be required to have dedicated recycling bins in-store from 2024 for the collection of paper-based disposable cups.
For further information visit Landmark rule makes manufacturers responsible for waste created by their products | GOV.WALES