'Broadly' speaking << Back to Main News Page Added: Thursday, 12 January 2006 New for 2006 is the introduction of Broadly Equivalent clause being transposed into UK law this month, meaning the need for overseas operators to meet standards 'broadly equivalent' to those adhered to in Europe. The move is designed to encourage a more 'level playing fields' between recyclers internationally and ensure minimum standards of operation. In simple terms this will mean that any exporter supplying a recycler not meeting 'broadly equivalent standards' seen in Europe will not be able to issue a PERN for this material. This, in itself, will not preclude such trade but will reduce the price that buyers can expect to pay by removing the PERN value component. Jeff Cooper of the Environment Agency recently noted that this new requirement would become most evident as exporters reapply for accreditation later in 2006. The challenge for this new arrangement is clarity of both the definition of what 'broadly equivalent standards' means in practice and how this will be regulated. Recoup is actively contributing to the current discussion on this issue. Properly conducted export of recyclables is both legitimate and justifiable. The increasing scrutiny of exports of waste will undoubtedly lead to tightening of operating standards in some parts of the industry. As a result suppliers of recyclables that have been poorly separated and have high levels of contamination are likely to find increased pressure to improve sorting quality and may experience more restricted market options.