Eco contribution refunds

I refer to the letter Eco Contribution Refunds by Colin Calleja, communications coordinator at the Ministry of Finance (November 13). The Eco Contribution Act dated August 13, 2004 provides for producers of packaging waste to be exempted or receive credit of the eco contribution paid if the producer participates in an approved scheme.

GreenPak, the Mepa authorised scheme for waste recovery, has since 2006 been actively helping companies divert discarded packaging towards recycling and away from landfill. In 2006, GreenPak recovered over 131,000 kgs of packaging material, predominantly glass and plastics.

GreenPak members are therefore eligible for a refund on eco contribution paid. The GreenPak scheme is now helping companies to claim back eco contribution refunds for 2008.

The constant increase in membership with GreenPak meant that if the 2007 participation fees were to be carried forward into next year, then at the end of 2008, there would have been a surplus of funds on the scheme. As the scheme is operated on a not-for-profit policy, GreenPak has reduced its 2008 fees by 30 per cent. This reduction is being well received by companies trading in consumer goods such as food items, beverages, clothes, toiletries, stationery, detergents, paints, electrical goods, pharmaceuticals and any other packaged product that becomes waste.

In the budget estimates, government has allocated Lm500,000 for eco contribution refunds. Companies participating in the GreenPak scheme are pleased with these recent developments and eagerly await the distribution of these funds by the government.