
The UK Government have published a summary of responses to its Plastic Packaging Tax consultation, whereby, according to the Treasury, the majority of the 291 respondents agreed with the majority of proposals put forward.
The consultation welcomed opinions on the cost of the tax which was confirmed in the 2020 Budget as a levy of £200 per tonne on all domestically manufactured or imported packaging containing less than 30 per cent recycled content from April 2022.
Comments on the scope of the tax, how the tax will be collected and enforced, and who will be liable to pay the tax were also invited. Issues raised were included in the draft legislation for the tax, which was published alongside the summary of responses.
The draft legislation for the tax defines ‘plastic’ as a material consisting of polymer to which additives or substances may have been added, with cellulose-based polymers classified as an exception. However, there are issues around the availability of recycled material and are there also some regulatory barriers to its inclusion.