How to reduce your Plastic Packaging Tax liability?
What is the Plastics Packaging Tax?
The Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced in April 2022 in an attempt to reduce the UK’s use of virgin materials. It taxes companies £200 per tonne of plastic used which is below the 30% recycled content threshold. In this blog we will discuss how you can reduce your PPT liability in relation to pallet wrap.
How to reduce your Plastic Packaging Tax liability?
- Switch to a 30% recycled content film
By switching to a 30% or more recycled content film, you will avoid the tax. However, there is a few important considerations when switching to recycled content films. Due to imperfections caused by the recycled material, recycled content pallet wrap does not have the same performance as a virgin film. This means that it is important to consider the type of load you are wrapping, is it heavy or awkward? If your load is hard to stabilise or has sharp edges, then it would be better to work on optimising your use of virgin materials to reduce the amount of plastic used and therefore reduce your PPT liability.
- Check you are using the right pallet wrap for the products you are wrapping and the machines you are using
One of the most common mistakes we see is companies using a film that is over specified for the goods they are wrapping. For example, you could be wrapping a straightforward, uniform pallet with a 17-micron film when more than sufficient stability could be achieved with a 12-micron film, allowing for a significant reduction in your plastic usage. Using the wrong stretch wrap for your machine is another common mistake. A power pre-stretch film on a core brake machine is hugely inefficient and changing this to a pre-stretched film will help you make massive savings.
- Optimise your machine settings
Ensuring your machines are calibrated and set up correctly can help you to reduce plastic consumption. Check that the film is stretching the film properly and that it is applying the right amount of film. It is also important to make sure your machines are well maintained to improve efficiency.
- High performance films
Nano films offer exceptional performance and puncture resistance. As an example, if you are using a heavy 23-micron to wrap an awkward load, you will be able to make huge plastic reductions by switching to a 12-micron nano film without having to worry about snapping or negatively impacting pallet stability.
