You are here: Home / News / December data confirms surplus PRNs for new compliance year

December data confirms surplus PRNs for new compliance year

The monthly packaging waste data for December has provided a good picture of how the UK performed against recycling targets over the 2020 compliance year.

The monthly packaging waste data for December has provided a good picture of how the UK performed against recycling targets over the 2020 compliance year.

The latest figures, released by the Environment Agency on the NPWD earlier this month, report on the amount of packaging waste that has been recycled or exported between 10 November and 10 December 2020.

Some packaging recovery note (PRN) grades reported less production in December than in previous months. But with many materials going into December having already achieved the required production targets for 2020 – even without the previous years’ carry over – significant proportions of the PRNs produced in December are available to be carried forward into the 2021 compliance year.

Paper and aluminium are two grades that look to be furthest ahead of target and will start the new compliance year with significant carry over. With 272,761 tonnes reported in December, total production of paper is reported at 3,548,285 for 2020. This is 115% of its target without carry over from 2019. Aluminium reported 12,062 tonnes in December – less than the previous two months – but with 145,035 tonnes in total produced in 2020, the grade is 118% of target for the year not including 2019 carry over.

Despite particular concerns over the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on plastic, this grade has managed to go just beyond its target, with 1,116,518 tonnes produced in total in 2020, which is 101% of target for the year.

Many reprocessors and exporters are already talking about difficulties in exporting waste, due to increased scrutiny on waste exports through the Basel Convention, as well as having to adapt to new export protocols introduced with Brexit. Whilst the amount of carry over achieved last year will undoubtedly put the market in a positive position, these continued challenges, alongside the higher targets for 2021 and 2022, could certainly put pressure on the markets in the year ahead.

Martin Trigg-Knight

Head of Packaging

Steel had a positive month for production in December, with 41,629 tonnes reported, leaving it at 112% of target for the year without carry over. Total Glass ends the year with a reported 1,823,156 tonnes, which is 103% of target for the year, and wood reports a total of 535,015 tonne in 2020, which is 108%.

Martin Trigg-Knight, Head of Packaging at Clarity Environmental, said of the final monthly data of 2020: “The data shows that a significant volume of December PRNs will be brought forward into 2021, which will provide a necessary head start on 2021 production.

“Many reprocessors and exporters are, however, already talking about difficulties in exporting waste, due to increased scrutiny on waste exports through the Basel Convention, as well as having to adapt to new export protocols introduced with Brexit. Whilst the amount of carry over achieved last year will undoubtedly put the market in a positive position, these continued challenges, alongside the higher targets for 2021 and 2022, could certainly put pressure on the markets in the year ahead.”

The interim quarter 4 data is due to be released in February and will give us the full picture of the 2020 production against targets.

Comply with Clarity

If you are obligated by the Packaging Regulations, we can help you to reduce the impact on the environment and ensure compliance with current regulations.

Get in Touch

Related News & Views