Defra has opened a consultation looking at future packaging recycling and recovery targets for businesses during 2006-10.

The new targets for businesses that handle or produce large quantities of packaging waste will ensure that the UK meets key targets under European legislation to recycle and recover between 55-80 per cent of all packaging by 2010.

This includes individual targets for specific materials including plastic, paper, glass, steel, wood and aluminium.

Further proposals aimed at ensuring a focus on the 2008 targets have also been explored in the the consultation including proposals for greater scrutiny for compliance scheme and businesses that handle more than 500 tonnes of packaging.

In light of comments about the complexity of the government's proposals to bring in franchised businesses into the packaging waste regulatory regime, further questions will also be explored.

The new consultation paper, Consultation Paper on Meeting Directive Targets in 2008, is available in full at www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/packaging-reg05-targets/index.htm.

The deadline for responses to the proposals is October 3.