The take back scheme Näringslivets Producentansvar announced a substantial price increase for almost all packaging streams from July 2024 on.
The increase will be significant, particularly for paper, plastic, and metal for private use, where there will be larger increases. For glass, the fee will be slightly reduced on July 1 due to previously communicated compensation. The increase will be noticeable later on.
The reason for the increases can be directly linked to the ordinance on producer responsibility for packaging, which came into effect on January 1 of this year.
The biggest changes related to it are that:
- The municipalities have now taken over the responsibility for collecting packaging,
- The curbside collection system will be expanded and made available to all households in Sweden by January 1, 2027, and
- the producers will finance all collection and recycling costs for the packaging they place on the market.
The purpose of the new ordinance is to increase the collection, something that is necessary in order for Sweden to reach the recycling targets.
Since the current fee structure was implemented in the summer of 2023, the picture regarding estimated costs and actual outcomes has both become clearer and changed. The developments since last summer indicate fewer packages placed on the market than expected, material prices that co-finance the costs have fallen during the year, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has introduced higher compensation levels for the rural municipalities as well as a higher index calculation than expected. There have also been additional requirements for an increased expansion rate for collection points for commercial packaging.
Together with a national expansion of curbside collection, this has significant effects on packaging fee levels for the entire industry.
If you have any questions on WEEE, battery and packaging compliance in Sweden please do not hesitate to contact the Go4Recycling team.