A few months ago the government announced that they were introducing a Plastic Packaging Tax from April 2022.
This tax will apply to the following;
UK manufacturers of plastic packaging,
Importers of plastic packaging,
Business customers of manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging
Consumers who buy plastic packaging or goods in plastic packaging in the UK.
To alleviate the amount of admin that businesses will incur as a result of this tax, they have also confirmed that there will be an exemption for manufacturers and importers of less than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging per year.
This new tax will be applied to plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. Plastic packaging is packaging that is predominantly plastic by weight.
It will not apply to any plastic packaging which contains at least 30% recycled plastic, or any packaging which is not predominantly plastic by weight.
Imported plastic packaging will be liable to the tax, whether the packaging is unfilled or filled.
Further information can be found from HMRC
What can we do about it?
You can use more recycled packaging or even better source packaging that isn't plastic.
There has been some great technological advances in the last few years that has seen packaging made from hemp, seaweed even fiber-based paperboard.
If however there is no way round it for your business, then you will need to equate yourself with the reporting requirements ahead of April.
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