Ecoveritas has warned the horticulture sector not to be caught off-guard when completing packaging data submissions in the new year.
With enforcement action regarding the submission of packaging data under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) suspended until May 31, 2024, and payment obligations being deferred for a year from 2024 to 2025, there is a risk that some businesses could take their foot off the gas.
But Ecoveritas is urging businesses affected by EPR for packaging to act now and implement a plan for the dual reporting obligations in H1 2024 and beyond. Businesses must submit data under the Packaging Waste Regulations (2007) and EPR in the first six months of 2024.
“We’re tracking all of the latest developments very closely,” said Sandy Dhesi, Commercial Manager at Ecoveritas. “With EPR leading to varying compliance costs for producers based on the recyclability of their packaging, there is growing pressure on companies to master the submission of accurate data well before the deadlines.
“We know all too well how complex the reporting process can be. Now that the obligation thresholds are changing, the legislation will impact a larger number of SMEs and businesses in the horticulture industry – and those businesses might find it difficult! Even the prospect of collecting packaging data from suppliers, and there may be hundreds of suppliers if the business stocks a large product range can mean increased labour and costs.
“As a solution, we will be providing the horticulture sector with a software tool that will help businesses comply confidently with EPR. My.ecoveritas.com is a cost-effective way of managing your EPR data and reporting in-house. And it removes the burden of collecting packaging weights from suppliers.”
my.ecoveritas.com has been specifically built for garden centres, nurseries and growers and has fully considered all the packaging the industry handles. This brand-new data reporting software, which was painstakingly built to streamline data collection and reporting, makes EPR management much simpler and more cost-effective.
From complex reporting to government, increased management time, multiple reporting deadlines, and demanding data collection to understanding the regulations, rising compliance fees, and pressure to show environmental performance, there hasn’t been an affordable and accessible solution for SMEs – until now.
“With EPR fees now due to start in October 2025, the EPR data submission deadline for large producers May 31, 2024, and for small producers slated for April 1, 2024, those building out their collection and reporting capacity are forging ahead,” Dhesi added.
In a recent joint webinar hosted by the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) and Ecoveritas, 68% of those in attendance hadn’t submitted data to the regulator yet – something Defra and Ecoveritas point to as crucial in calculating the upcoming fees.
“The more data producers can provide Defra with, the more accurate the illustrative base fees will be,” said Dhesi. “Producers can then expect to see first estimates in early 2024.
“These are the six steps that we’re looking to provide through the software, and hopefully, the tool will make life a bit easier regarding reporting.”
Businesses looking to grow their own compliance capabilities, should visit my.ecoveritas for horticulture or sign up for a free account.
