British Glass is calling for urgent Cabinet-level intervention on packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) after the recent Parliamentary debate exposed growing political concern over the policy’s impact on UK manufacturing, jobs and investment.
Following sustained engagement from British Glass, manufacturers, trade unions and wider stakeholders, MPs highlighted concerns around:
- Material switching away from infinitely recyclable glass
- Delayed investment decisions
- Growing import pressures
- Risks to skilled manufacturing jobs
- The impact on hospitality businesses
Sarah Champion MP said, “It cannot be right that a plastic bottle should be a more cost-effective packaging choice than an infinitely recyclable glass bottle as a direct result of a government policy designed to encourage sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging choices.”
British Glass continues to call for:
- A delay to the announcement of Year 2 pEPR fees
- An immediate 75 percent reduction in glass fees
- Urgent Cabinet-level intervention
This is not an environmental policy if it makes infinitely recyclable glass less competitive than alternative materials.
British Glass will continue working with MPs, Government, members, trade unions and supply chain partners to press for urgent action before further damage is done to the UK glass sector.