By SHARON UDASIN
08/10/2013

Law requires manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for handling all packaging waste that they bring into the market.

Twelve companies who did not act in accordance with the stipulations of the Packaging Law and avoided contact with the Tamir recycling firm each received a fine of around NIS 155,000 from the Environmental Protection Ministry, the office announced this Friday.

Israel’s Packaging Law, approved in January 2011, requires manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for handling all packaging waste that they bring into the market – reporting and paying for every ton of packaging, as well as working with the Tamir recycling company in order to collect packaging materials from orange bins in local authorities. While 700 manufacturers and importers have already begun to implement this law, 12 stand out flagrantly for failing to meet the legislation’s requirements, the ministry explained.

The Packaging Law aims to bring packaging waste recycling up to 60 percent by 2015, the ministry added. In contrast with the prevailing situation in which residents themselves cover financially the evacuation of these types of waste in their arnona bills, the law calls upon the industries who generate the trash to foot the bill. Such a mechanism accounts for the direct relationship between income and waste production.

“The process in which all kinds of waste will be regulated and treated and thereby likely becoming a new raw material is underway,” said Environmental Protection Minister Amir Peretz. “We will not compromise with anyone who disturbs this and his or her disregard are spokes in the wheels of the process.”

Peretz further vowed that the ministry “has not intention of allowing a person to stop” this process.

The 12 offenders include 3M Israel, A.P. Romy Designs, Avshalom Regional Enterprises, Harash Y.Y.H., Mendelson Technical and Engineering Supply, Lilit Cosmetics, Mendelson – S. Bar, Matim Li Stores (1997), Negev Ceramics, Karat Israel, S.AL Technical Equipment and Hezibank Design.

http://www.jpost.com/Enviro-Tech/Companies-that-failed-to-recycle-packaging-fined-NIS-15m-322638