Former M&S head of packaging Karen Graley has been announced as the new head of the extended producer responsibility scheme’s Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO).
Graley, who was also a founding member on the OPRL scheme’s board of directors, will head the organisation which will act on behalf of all obligated producers under EPR.
Her appointment was announced by the FDF and the Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN), which said they hoped the producer-led organisation would ensure funds raised through EPR were used to boost recycling rates and create a circular economy for packaging.
The government announced in October it was bowing to industry calls for a new producer-led organisation to help steer EPR and to allow a “co-design process” for the under-fire rollout.
Graley has already played a role in shaping the development of the UK’s EPR scheme, sitting on the EPR Interim Steering Group, which was created to support the mobilisation of the scheme and formation of the scheme’s administrator PackUK.
She was also previously on the government’s Advisory Committee for Packaging.
“The PRO’s success hinges on collaboration between producers, industry stakeholders, local authorities, and the wider community,” said Graley.
“I look forward to working together with all these partners to drive collaboration so we can achieve the shared goals of improving recyclability and ensuring resources are used efficiently and effectively.”
FDF director of corporate affairs and packaging Jim Bligh said: “Industry leadership is critical to the success of the EPR scheme, so Karen’s appointment is a big step towards unlocking its potential and building a truly circular economy, which producers want and need.”
Meanwhile, Defra is continuing to advertise for a new £135,000-a-year boss to run PackUK, which launched in January this year as the scheme administrator for EPR.
It said the successful candidate would lead “one of the most important and powerful environmental reforms of our time”.
Defra, which is also recruiting a £75,000-a-year head of strategy for PackUK, has faced criticism from farm bodies for offering the “eye-watering “salaries whilst farmers are facing a raft of new taxes”.
No comments yet