A new UK £350k electronic system to handle and distribute information and data on packaging waste is being developed by the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP). The National Packaging Waste Database will be designed to complement the packaging waste recycling and recovery regime, which places obligations on businesses to make better use of the packaging they deal with. It will remove the need for businesses to submit hardcopy data to regulators and could eventually lead to the use of electronic Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) and Packaging Export Recovery Notes (PERNs). In addition, it is expected to help combat incidences of fraud by reprocessors and identify those who avoid meeting their obligations under Regulations.
The system will be designed and implemented through a project team reporting to the ACP and once completed, owned and operated by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service. It is expected that registration for this scheme will be available in 2007.
