The Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub is helping businesses navigate towards a sustainable future
04.03.2022 - 13:21
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The idea of a greener future is one that can seem a daunting prospect to tackle at times - especially as businesses look to make the shift towards sustainability, but are unsure of where to begin.
Working towards a net-zero commitment is an issue that is particularly pertinent in 2022, not only due to an increased awareness of a need to tackle carbon emissions, but also because there’s a new tax launching soon which could affect the way businesses operate.
The government’s new initiative the Plastic Packaging Taxcomes into force in April of this year, and aims to incentivise the use of recycled material in the production of plastic packaging.
The tax applies to manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging components which contain less than 30 per cent recycled plastic, giving businesses a good reason to begin to research into introducing a greater use of recycled materials into their operations.
If your business manufactures or imports plastic packaging you may need to register for the tax, which will be charged at £200 per tonne.
For small or medium enterprises (SMEs) who perhaps don’t have the luxury of a dedicated sustainability team, the notion of tackling a huge undertaking such as rethinking their reliance on plastic or face being hit with a higher tax rate can appear to be an impossible task.
One institution utilising its research, expertise and industry knowledge to help support businesses towards an environmentally friendly future is the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub), part of the Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester.
The SMI Hub is part of the Henry Royce Institute, the UK's national institute for advanced materials research and innovation, based at the University of