The government is running a consultation on extended producer responsibility for packaging. It includes responsibility for litter, and anyone may respond, including private individuals.

The principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) is that the producer should pay the full costs of the waste they produce, and the purpose of the consultation is to find the best way of doing this. The previous system hasn’t been working well, and the new system will replace it.

The ‘producer’ is generally the brand owner, as they have the most influence on the packaging materials and design. The consultation covers ways to reduce packaging, to encourage reusable packaging, to encourage improved recyclability, to reduce littering and to decide who pays for the cost of litter.

The producers are likely to say that they should not take responsibility as they don’t litter, people do. But currently the Local Authority has to bear the cost, and that means everyone who pays council taxes, not just the people who buy the products.

Sustainable Hackney will be responding, and we encourage all everyone reading this to make their own responses. The more who respond to the consultation, both individuals and organisations or groups, the more representative and fairer the outcome is likely to be, so please do what you can.

The survey is open until 4 June at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/extended-producer-responsibility/exten...