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BENEFICIAL FOR DRINKS BRANDSThe proposed Action Plan is also good news for drinks brands on a purely financial level; Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Schemes reward producers who put more recyclable products on the market and encourage their recycling and reuse. The proposal states that EPR fees should be modulated based on real end-of-life costs, taking into account recyclability. Lower fees for using materials such as aluminium or steel, which are easy to collect, sort and recycle, naturally mean a more cost effective solution for producers.Reynolds emphasises the significance of this aspect of the proposal: “Many EPR schemes in Europe are owned and run by our customers, the brand owners. After 20 years of experience it is clear that national infrastructures for waste management vary considerably, both in terms of cost efficiency and results achieved. We and our customers are therefore pleased that the CEP proposal contains a set of Minimum Requirements for EPR schemes that will increase their transparency and effectiveness. But we are hopeful that refinements can be introduced as the Proposal progresses through the committees of the EU Parliament and Council.”Richard Burhouse, Managing Director of UK-based Magic Rock Brewing Co., was able to provide us with an important perspective from the drinks industry. We discussed how the Metal Recycles Forever Mark – recently introduced by Metal Packaging Europe – is helping to draw attention to the continuous life cycle of metal. Burhouse says: “We’re very happy to include the new MPE recycling mark on our cans. We know that customers are increasingly concerned about environmental issues and it makes sense to help inform consumers and encourage recycling participation by advertising the benefits of aluminium on the cans. I think initiatives like this are very important. Some EU countries are much better than others in this respect and anything that promotes consumer responsibility is to be applauded in my opinion.”He goes on to highlight what he sees as the particular benefits of using cans for beverage packaging: “They are lighter to bring in, and pack much more efficiently for sending out. From a beer point of view they protect 100% against ‘light strike’ and the lid provides a better barrier against oxygen ingress than a bottle’s crown cap. We love the portable nature of cans: they suit an outdoor lifestyle so are great for hiking, biking, sailing, camping and so on.”➤ Above Richard Burhouse, Managing Director of UK-based Magic Rock Brewing Co.THE ACTION PLAN IS GOOD NEWS FOR DRINKS BRANDS ON A PURELY FINANCIAL LEVEL; EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY SCHEMES REWARD PRODUCERS WHO PUT MORE RECYCLABLE PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET AND ENCOURAGE RECYCLINGEUROPEAN CAN MARKET REPORT 2016 37CIRCULAR ECONOMY