Recent reports indicate the glass recycling fees are down an estimated £51 million in the last year, after a WSTA campaign sought to reduce inflated costs.
The Wine and Spirit Trade Association are now hoping to make market prices for PRN notes (for glass recycling) more transparent. It is hoped that by publishing accurate prices on their website, traders are not caught paying exorbitant fees.
70% of glass on the market is made up of alcohol drinks, with wine and beer accounting for the majority. PRN notes must be bought by firm who are registered to comply with recycling legislation; 40% of the note is paid by the producer and 48% is paid by the retailer.
PRN prices for glass have wildly fluctuated over the last few years, but appear to be settling at around £20-30 per tonne.
Miles Beale, the Chief Executive of WSTA stated: “The staggering spike in price of Packaging Recovery Notes for glass recycling was a real problem for the trade, costing it an estimated £51 million. The WSTA worked hard with others to ensure the Department for Environment made changes to correct the PRN market, which has seen the price drop significantly. But we want to do more to improve transparency in the market prices, which is why we are publishing weekly average spot prices on our website as well as offering a price matching service and access to alternative providers, ensuring the trade doesn’t pay over the odds for recycling.”
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