Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with PackUK on the role of the Producer Responsibility Organisation in setting expectations for (a) the sorting of collected materials and (b) mechanisms which could support consistent recovery across different local authorities and MRFs.

The Department is working with PackUK to appoint a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) which will be responsible for administering certain elements of the pEPR scheme. The sorting of collected materials and consistent collections is not within PackUKs remit, so no discussions have taken place so far on the involvement of the PRO in this area.

We are working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and waste industry representatives to support MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) readiness for the Simpler Recycling requirements in England.