12 March 2020
Press Statement

CIWM responds to the Budget 2020

Responding to the Budget today (11 March 2020), CIWM has welcomed the commitment to delivering the Government’s net-zero ambitions, and “high-skill, high-wage, low-carbon jobs of the future”, as well as a number of specific announcements on waste and recycling.  These included further detail on the plastic packaging tax, an additional £700,000 to establish the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility scheme, the allocation of funding (albeit an unspecified amount) for a digital waste tracking system and £2m to improve the evidence base to tackle fly-tipping.

 “The funding announcements underpin a number of important policy measures that the sector has been actively involved in shaping and that are fundamental to achieving the ambitions set out in the Resources and Waste Strategy,” said Pat Jennings, CIWM’s Head of Policy, Knowledge & External Affairs.

“On the proposals for the plastic packaging tax, which will come into force from April 2022, CIWM welcomes the confirmation that it will apply to both domestic manufacturers and importers and will include filled packaging. This should ensure that UK manufacturers are not disadvantaged and that the tax does not incentivise the offshoring of filling operations to avoid the tax. At £200 per tonne, the level of the tax is in the range deemed necessary to incentivise the uptake of recycled plastic, but CIWM and others have raised questions about the appropriateness of a fixed tax to change behaviour in a market that is heavily dictated by global oil price fluctuations. It will be important, therefore, to ensure that the tax is reviewed at appropriate intervals to ensure that it is delivering the desired outcomes.  As always, the devil will also be in the detail and it is important to understand how the tax will impact on different polymer types to reduce the risk of market distortion and unintended consequences. Policing of the tax, particularly around imports, was also an area of concern in the original consultation and CIWM welcomes further detail on this in the second consultation launched today.”

“Other announcements with relevance for the resource and waste sector include £650m to tackle the problem of rough sleeping. A recent study by Biffa in collaboration with the Open University and CIWM noted that growing levels of homelessness increase the risk of accidents related to people taking refuge in bins, and measures to tackle rough sleeping will help to reduce this risk.”

The Budget Documents can be found here and the Plastics Packaging Tax consultation here.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

1.    CIWM: CIWM is the leading professional body for the resource and waste management sector representing around 5,700 individuals in the UK, Ireland and overseas. Established in 1898, CIWM is a non-profit making organisation, dedicated to the promotion of professional competence amongst waste managers. CIWM seeks to raise standards for those working in and with the sector by producing best practice guidance, developing educational and training initiatives, and providing information on key waste-related issues. More information can be found at www.ciwm.co.uk

Press contact:
Pat Jennings
Head of Policy, Knowledge & External Affairs
Tel: 01604 620426
Mob: 07912 228260
E-mail: pat.jennings@ciwm.co.uk