NEWS


UK government releases first Plastics Packaging Tax figures


The UK government has released revenue figures for the first year of operation of its Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), one of the first such taxes imple- mented in the world. Introduced on 1 April 2022, PPT is applied to plastic packaging put on the UK market containing less than 30% recycled plastics. According to figures from the UK’s


HM Revenue and Customs, in the financial year 2022 to 2023 it collected PPT receipts totalling £276m. Of the total plastic packaging manufactured in the UK (52%) and imported into the UK (48%), 39% was declared taxable under the PPT as it did not contain a minimum of 30% recycled plastics. Of the non-taxable packaging, 40% contained


30% or more recycled plastics, 21% was either exported, intended for export or converted, and less than 1% was exempt as it was used for the immedi- ate packaging of medicines. In response to the figures, Steve Gough, CEO at the UK’s largest


compliance scheme, Valpak, com- mented: “The inaugural report on PPT shines a useful spotlight on the current state of the plastic packaging market [and] demonstrates the positive progress the industry has made. We hope to see further progress over the coming years as we accelerate the transition to a circular economy.” Lee Marshall, Policy and External


Affairs Director, at CIWM, said: “The tax has certainly created a demand for recycled plastic content. However, this demand is not being satisfied and, in this respect, PPT has failed. Large- scale investment in sorting and recycling capacity in the UK is urgently required.” � www.gov.uk


IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK


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