06-Dec-2006
The mystery of the Mobius Loop
Well, the good folks at MGA Entertainment (makers of Bratz dolls - see David Cameron's Diary: Dratz.....itz Bratz again ) have responded to my complaints & questions.
I am encouraged to hear that are looking at alternative packaging and that they are participants in the "Green Dot" scheme otherwise known as the Mobius Loop.
I would like to take a section of their response and invite anyone who knows about the detail within the waste regulations to advise what this means in practice.
Now that intrigued me as I had seen the symbol of the circles inside the circle but didn't know that there was an organisation behind it, so I did some digging and came across a company ( Valpak ) that helps companies operate in the UK and "contribute" to the costs of recycling the packaging......but what about the products inside the packaging?
What angered me on that site was a statement attributed to Corus on this page:
Reading the site further, it appears that companies are charged on the basis of the proportion of packaging actually recycled and as we know, the current regime in the UK does not support households in their recycling activities...in fact it is a punitive regime as proposed.
Can anyone tell me who pays for the end product recycling (or any costs of landfill)?
I see that the Chancellor has today announced a ridiculously modest increase in Landfill taxes from £21 per tonne to £24 per tonne and is considering much steeper increases.
Of course, at the end of the day, the costs will be passed on to the consumer, but as we know, in this competive age of looking for the last cent of margin, companies will look to reduce their costs and packaging is an element of that, but also will encourage the development of even more recyclable materials to displace materials that are not.
This isn't the full answer......it is never easy to provide a holistic solution. Thought needs to be given as to how we as consumers would then continue or improve our social responsibility to recycle wherever practical....the answer has to be in somehow making it easier and consistent across regions to enable maximum recycling.
One thing I am clear on is that if the increased costs end up with the consumer or the "disposer", then we will see more and more waste removal "specialists" avoiding the costs by fly-tipping on an even bigger scale than we have today. If the producer pre-pays for disposal at end of useful life then we should eliminate the need for fly-tipping.
Apologies for such a long posting....I hope that you found it interesting reading, and if you can add any comments to it, please do, especially if you are in the industry.
Link
I am encouraged to hear that are looking at alternative packaging and that they are participants in the "Green Dot" scheme otherwise known as the Mobius Loop.
I would like to take a section of their response and invite anyone who knows about the detail within the waste regulations to advise what this means in practice.
"We include the mobius loop on our outer packaging which is accepted as the
traditional, universal recycling symbol. This alerts our consumers that
packaging can be recycled if the regulations and/or ordinances of their local
community provide for its collection. Additionally, MGA is a participant in the
Green Dot program utilized in Europe. The Green Dot signifies that MGA
financially contributes to the cost of recovery and recycling in countries such
as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and many others"
Now that intrigued me as I had seen the symbol of the circles inside the circle but didn't know that there was an organisation behind it, so I did some digging and came across a company ( Valpak ) that helps companies operate in the UK and "contribute" to the costs of recycling the packaging......but what about the products inside the packaging?
What angered me on that site was a statement attributed to Corus on this page:
"..a good insurance policy.....compliance in the future, at good value"I believe that this statement suggests that Valpak can assist companies such as Corus to meet compliance on the cheap and avoid any additional overheads of being a good corporate citizen.
Reading the site further, it appears that companies are charged on the basis of the proportion of packaging actually recycled and as we know, the current regime in the UK does not support households in their recycling activities...in fact it is a punitive regime as proposed.
Can anyone tell me who pays for the end product recycling (or any costs of landfill)?
I see that the Chancellor has today announced a ridiculously modest increase in Landfill taxes from £21 per tonne to £24 per tonne and is considering much steeper increases.
Somewhat as an aside to the recycling story, at the same time the Chancellor signalled an intent to raise Vehicle Road Fund Licence to £2,000pa for band G vehicles, which will in many cases be more fuel efficient, creating less pollution than some of the older vehicles on the road today. The Chancellors idea still does not necessarilly reflect the actual polluter pays policy if the vehicle is little used, but I do welcome the pay as you go increase of ~5.6p/gallon on Fuel duty if it goes to green campaigns and funds some environmental activities.
Back to Mobius and recycling......
In my opinion, we must target the costs of landfill & recycling with the producers. The costs are generated by the production of the product or packaging it for sale (even then the packaging is made by a producer), so lets see the full cost of recovery built in to the price of the product. At the moment, it seems that companies are potentially seeking to become compliant, but not necessarilly behaving as a good corporate citizen and absorbing the full cost.Of course, at the end of the day, the costs will be passed on to the consumer, but as we know, in this competive age of looking for the last cent of margin, companies will look to reduce their costs and packaging is an element of that, but also will encourage the development of even more recyclable materials to displace materials that are not.
This isn't the full answer......it is never easy to provide a holistic solution. Thought needs to be given as to how we as consumers would then continue or improve our social responsibility to recycle wherever practical....the answer has to be in somehow making it easier and consistent across regions to enable maximum recycling.
One thing I am clear on is that if the increased costs end up with the consumer or the "disposer", then we will see more and more waste removal "specialists" avoiding the costs by fly-tipping on an even bigger scale than we have today. If the producer pre-pays for disposal at end of useful life then we should eliminate the need for fly-tipping.
Apologies for such a long posting....I hope that you found it interesting reading, and if you can add any comments to it, please do, especially if you are in the industry.
Labels: Bratz, landfill, MGAE recycling, mobius, recycling
Link
19-Nov-2006
It's a Rubbish Tax and an even more Rubbish Idea
What an insane idea to be taxing us all for the amount of refuse we don't recycle.
I want to recycle, but the instructions as to what we can and can't recycle are a mess - and there is no joined up government on this. In one area a fruit juice carton may be recyclable, yet in the next county they don't have a contract in place for that, so it must go into landfill.
If one authority can put a contract in place, then why can't all?
My parents have very clear instructions relating to plastics PET numbers and making it clear what they can put in for recycling. I have basic instructions only that leave me scratching my head.
I could be hung out to dry either way - if I contaminate my recycling bins, then I will be fined and if I err on the side of caution and put it in my ordinary bin, then under ideas under review, I will have to pay extra to take it away!! Either way, I pay for something I am already paying for!!
And what about the Retail world? The things I throw away don't just land mysteriously at my house - they are sold to me and with ridiculous amounts of packaging - why does a swede need to be vacuum wrapped in polythene? Why do manufacturers encase their products in that plastic cage that is bloody impossible to open and turns into an instrument of torture when you try and squeeze your fingers in to extracate the product from the biggest hole that you dared make without cutting through the instructions\CD\warranty document or whatever else is in it. What are they doing? - I see no evidence of anything changing.
So we end up with all this rubbish that is going to cost us an arm and a leg in fines or fees to dispose of - those that don't want to pay will still not pay and fly tipping will increase. Meantime those of us that do pay will end up sharing their charges.
Labels: Green, recycling, rubbish, taxes
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