1.

Notifying Member: UNITED KINGDOM

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

UK TBT Enquiry Point

Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations

Department for Business and Trade

Old Admiralty Building

London

SW1A 2DY

tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): 7310211900 (cans for drinks) and 392330 (plastic drinks bottles)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024; (103 page(s), in English)

6.

Description of content: This legislation will set out to establish a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers where consumers are charged a deposit up-front when they buy a drink in a container that is in-scope of the scheme. The deposit can then be redeemed when the empty container is returned to a designated return point. The deposit provides a financial incentive for consumers to return drinks containers for recycling.

Our Statutory instrument (SI) covers England and Northern Ireland and will include all single-use drinks containers from 150ml up to 3 litres in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, steel and aluminium cans. The key sections of our SI are:

·_        The scope and key definitions associated with a DRS

·_        Obligations for producers and suppliers

·_        Obligations for retailers and return points

·_        Obligations and responsibilities of the Deposit Management Organisation

·_        Scheme enforcement and penalties

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: The main objective of the DRS is the protection of the environment through creating a circular economy, and quality requirements of recyclable materials.

Current recycling rates in the UK for drinks containers are around 70%. The objective of this policy is to boost recycling rates of in-scope containers, reduce littering, and provide greater opportunity to collect high quality, uncontaminated materials in greater quantities. This DRS aims to achieve recycling rates of 90% or higher.

The Government consulted on introducing a DRS for drinks containers in 2019 which received over 200,000 responses, the vast majority of which supported the introduction of a DRS.; Protection of the environment

8.

Relevant documents:

ENV/143 The Deposit Scheme for Drinks Containers (England and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2024

Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland - government response (publishing.service.gov.uk).

9.

Proposed date of adoption: 16 September 2024

Proposed date of entry into force: October 2027

10.

Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

UK TBT Enquiry Point

Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations

Department for Business and Trade

Old Admiralty Building

London

SW1A 2DY

tbtenquiriesuk@businessandtrade.gov.uk