What is the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT)?
As of the 1st of April 2022, the British government implicated an environmental tax, utilising financial motivation to help redirect businesses towards recycled plastics when manufacturing packaging. Unfortunately, plastic is often an essential part of production for many companies. If unavoidable, why not turn a negative into a positive and do your part for the environment. This new scheme will tax companies at a rate of £200/tonne on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled plastic, be it imported or manufactured in the UK. As a result, demand for this product will increase and in turn, stimulate a greater need to for the collection of plastic waste to be recycled. The incredible part of this mission is that companies such as Great Western Recycling have the ability to divert even single use plastic from ending up in a landfill, generating 100% of waste into green electricity that will be pumped directly back into the National Grid.
The PPT is expected impact an estimated 20,000 manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging. The implication for failing to comply will involve criminal penalties that include the failure to register, file returns or to pay the tax. The estimated figures indicate a distinct increase in recycled plastic, coming in at around 40%. To read more about the statistics involved with this tax, make sure you visit the government’s page on the topic. If your business has been last in the production line before the packaging is packed or filled, you will be liable for this tax. If your company is working alongside another business, it is your responsibility to check their manufacturing process just in case they haven’t properly accounted for the tax, so that you can avoid being jointly liable.
How to minimise your company’s plastic waste production
This new tax places businesses directly in the spotlight and is a great step towards becoming more sustainable. Statistics for plastic waste are pretty disturbing, and turning a blind eye isn’t going to cut it anymore. There are many ways in which you can cut down on plastics. Simple steps such as installing water fountains in office spaces encourage employees to ditch the outdated water bottle and switch to refillable ones instead. If your business sells goods, putting a price tag on the bags you provide has been a trick many companies are latching onto. It urges customers to bring in their own in and means your business isn’t faced with the cost of producing plastic bags on top of the tax you would now be faced with. Considering the surge to help our planet thrive, many people already know they ways in which they can contribute to the cause, but it wouldn’t hurt to organise company meetings about what employees can do to further awareness. By putting together a simple program that outlining the following could hugely reduce plastic waste.
- Conducting a plastic audit
- Eliminating single use plastics at work
- Implicating incentives
- Put reminder posters up
- Consider alternative products for packaging
- Recycle old kitchen plastics and replace with ceramics/metals
Read more about what businesses can do to minimise waste production here.
Why is Great Western Recycling the perfect waste management partner?
Although there are many incentives that are a great way to make a big difference when it comes to limiting our use of plastic, it isn’t totally unavoidable. Luckily, there are great solutions to deal with the excess. Although based in Bristol, the team have been all over the UK executing industry specific waste collections. Offering free quotes, bin delivery and rental, they prioritise creating a tailored experience that doesn’t cost a fortune. Whether it’s a one-off collection or regular pick-ups, they provide front and rear loaders that are much larger than regular bins to accommodate business purposes. Find out more about suitable sizes here. Additionally, their experts will ensure that your specific requirements are met, according to a budget, timescale and proportion of your waste output. One of the problems many companies face is consistently separating the relevant recyclables into ordered boxes. Another great benefit of Great Western Recycling that saves you and your co-worker’s time, is the flexibility to place all plastics, cans, paper and card into the same bin that will be efficiently sorted by the company after collection.
In order to avoid heavy taxation, a large carbon footprint and a guilty conscience, it is no longer an option to ignore waste and what is done with it. By taking the time to research your options, you can save your business time and money, while actively contributing to the movement to go green. Teaming up with companies like Great Western Recycling provides you with all the necessary resources to make the transition a smooth and seamless experience.