The UK's largest packaging compliance scheme, Valpak, has voiced its support for the warnings expressed by DEFRA's head of producer responsibility, Sheila McKinley, at the recent "letsrecycle.com Live" packaging seminar held at Stoneleigh.

Speaking at the event, Mrs McKinley made it very clear that Government expects the packaging industry to make sure that enough recycling is happening to meet the targets. She highlighted that, for the targets to be met, proper plans need to be developed by obligated companies and compliance schemes to increase the volumes of packaging collected from the household waste stream. Mrs McKinley clearly expects producers and compliance schemes to demonstrate, in their operational plans, how they are working with reprocessors and local authorities to increase capacity and collection infrastructure. She emphasised this by saying packaging producers and compliance schemes will have to actively engage with local authorities.

Steve Gough, Valpak's chief executive, supports DEFRA's warning saying, "With 2008 only 18 months away, the packaging industry must proactively seek opportunities to develop strategic partnerships with local authorities now; we cannot afford to wait. We have robust plans in place to ensure compliance on behalf of our members. Valpak has already set-up a local authority support programme which has identified opportunities to support local authority led collection programmes to boost the volumes of packaging collected for recycling. We have also entered into contracts with reprocessors which allows them to develop PRN investment plans to underpin the required growth from the household waste stream."

Commenting on the proposed central fund to provide funding support to local authorities, Steve said, "Valpak believes that competition is essential to ensure costs are controlled, central funds generally add layers of administration and inefficiencies."

At the Stoneleigh event, Valpak's corporate and local government affairs manager, Rick Hindley, demonstrated how the compliance scheme is using data from its Packflow report to help identify areas of the country where additional support is required to boost performance. Rick highlighted a number of projects where Valpak will be working with local authorities to boost the collection of glass and plastic bottles.

Packflow is a major research project initiated by Valpak to identify the challenges faced to achieve the 2008 packaging targets. Following the release of the project report last summer, Valpak has led a team, representing key materials, to identify and support real projects which will collect significant volumes of packaging materials to bridge the compliance gap.