A Parliamentary debate on 1 July has prompted British Glass to call for urgent intervention on packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR).
The debate exposed growing political concern over the policy’s impact on UK manufacturing, jobs and investment.
MPs across Parliament warned that pEPR’s current weight-based charging model threatens UK glass manufacturing, driving businesses away from infinitely recyclable glass and towards imported packaging and less circular materials such as plastic.
The debate, led by Rotherham MP Sarah Champion following discussions with British Glass, manufacturers, trade unions and supply chain organisations, saw repeated warnings that the policy is undermining both circular economy objectives and the Government’s wider industrial growth ambitions.
Sarah Champion said during the debate: “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.”
She described the current scheme as: “A poorly designed policy, poorly implemented, and it will cost the economy dearly.
“The aims of EPR may be laudable, but its design and implementation has been a catalogue of errors.
“It is wholly unworkable and ultimately counter-productive in its current form.
“As it stands, EPR will be bad for business, bad for growth and bad for the environment.
“Worst of all, it could place jobs in Rotherham at risk.”
Other MPs raised concerns around delayed investment decisions and pressure on energy-intensive industries.
They also highlighted the impact on pubs and hospitality businesses already paying for commercial waste collection and the growing risk of UK manufacturing being displaced by imports.
Runcorn and Helsby MP Sarah Pochin described Encirc as a “phenomenal” employer, pointing out that the current system unfairly penalises glass while benefiting competing materials.
Despite widespread concern raised during the debate, British Glass said the Government response failed to provide the urgent action industry now requires.
Responding for the Government, Nature Minister Mary Creagh pointed to future consultations, reviews and potential future fee adjustments, but did not commit to immediate intervention or support for the sector’s request for a targeted and time-limited 75% reduction in glass fees.
Dr Nick Kirk, Federation Director at British Glass, said: “Yesterday’s debate showed there is now clear and growing recognition across Parliament that the current pEPR system is damaging UK manufacturing and actively driving businesses away from glass.
“MPs from multiple parties raised concerns about job losses, delayed investment, imports increasing and businesses switching away from infinitely recyclable glass because of the costs being imposed by this policy.
“This is not an environmental policy if it makes infinitely recyclable glass more expensive than less circular alternatives.
“The current system risks creating a death spiral for UK glass.
“Higher fees drive switching away from glass, switching reduces UK demand, and falling demand then threatens jobs, investment and the long-term viability of domestic manufacturing.
“Industry does not need more promises of future reviews while businesses face serious costs today. We need urgent action now.
“The Government cannot claim to support industrial growth, clean growth and advanced manufacturing while simultaneously implementing a policy that is pricing UK-made glass out of the market.
“The implications of pEPR extend far beyond waste policy. DEFRA has not adequately recognised the potential consequences for jobs, investment and UK economic growth. Urgent Cabinet-level engagement is now required to address this industrial competitiveness.”
British Glass has once again called on the Government to delay the announcement of Year 2 pEPR fees and introduce an immediate 75% reduction in glass fees while a wider review of the scheme is undertaken.
The organisation said this will help create a more level playing field between packaging materials, prevent further switching away from glass, protect skilled manufacturing jobs and maintain investment in UK industry while longer-term reforms are considered.
British Glass also welcomed confirmation during the debate that Trade Remedies Authority investigations into Turkish and Chinese glass imports remain ongoing.
British Glass is continuing to work closely with MPs across Parliament, manufacturers, trade unions and supply chain partners to press for urgent changes.
