Financing

Financing

Collection and recycling system costs approximately 1.5 million US dollars to run each year.

Part of the financing is done through the collected material value, but it does not cover the entire cost. The manufacturers pay a packaging fee. The charge is weight based and differs between the different materials and the household and commercial packages, depending on how they economically put pressure on the system.

There is no fee for newspapers, the company behind the materials company Pressretur pays for the material and covers all the costs. Financing of glass packaging is administered with fees through Svensk GlasÅtervinning. Reports and payment are made monthly, quarterly or - for smaller companies – on a yearly basis.

Current packing fees

Annual fees

The annual fee is SEK 1 500 per calender year.

Packaging fees  from April 1, 2011 -

* Applies to all packaging made of corrugated board, cardboard, beverage carton and paper.

** Applies to both large and small cans.

*** Was previously included under other aluminum.

The fee payable is printed on the reporting form and depends on the company´s operating sector.

Service packaging refers to packaging that is mainly "filled" in the store/restaurant (e.g pizza cartons made of corrugated board) or by the consumers themselves.
Commercial packaging means plastic packaging for goods that are not intended for individual consumer use.
Service packaging refers to packaging that is mainly "filled" in the store/restaurant, such as plastic carrier bags.

Standard fees

Companies whose packaging fees are less than SEK 8,500 per year (including annual fee) may choose a fixed standard fee instead of reporting actual quantities. The fixed standard fee is divided into three levels of SEK 2,000, SEK 4,000 and SEK 8,500, and includes the annual fee. In assessing the amount the company must pay, REPA takes the company´s previous reports and other information as a starting point. The standard fee is invoiced during the current year.

Companies that have been affiliated for at least one year may apply to use a variable standard fee. The standard fee is based on the company´s reports for the most recent 12-month period. These reports are linked to the company´s turnover, and depending on how the turnover will vary in the future (as well as any changes in packaging fees) the standard fee will vary. The standard fee is then invoiced annually/quarterly in arrears.

Note that the standard fees do not apply to companies that manufacture/import service and/or grower packaging.

New structure for packaging fees, April 1, 2011

As previously announced, REPA have been focusing on creating as new structure for packaging fees. The objective of the new structure is to create fees that are simple, uniform and clearly connected to the costs for the collection system of each type of material.

The new fee structure is based on the various types of material:

Paper packaging. A combination of packaging of cardboard/paper (including industrial), corrugated board and liquid cardboard.

Plastic packaging. No change.

Metal packaging. Aluminum and steel sheets are reported separately as in the past. However, the separation of large and small cans will cease. Steel strips and drums will also be reported separately.

Since we have different costs for the collection of household packaging and commercial packaging, we now introduce a distinct division between these. In addition, we will be retaining the service packaging category (including grower packaging).

This means that we will be dividing the packaging into three fee categories:

Household packaging. The packaging that eventually reaches or ends up in household or consumer.

Commercial packaging. The packaging that eventually reaches or ends up in companies, industries and other operations.

Service packaging. Packaging that is primarily compiled in stores or similar, either by, for example store personnel or by the consumer. For example pizza cartons, coffee cups (take-away), carrier bags, but also moving boxes and the like.

In most cases, it is obvious if packaging is household packaging or commercial packaging. But, sometimes, there may be borderline cases. The deciding factor is where the packaging eventually ends up. The question then is who did the purchasing – meaning, who is the end consumer?

With respect to service packaging, it does not matter who the end consumer is. Service packaging is always a service packaging.

How are the licence fees calculated?

The packaging fees are set by the material companies. They are based on weight and charged on the basis of reports submitted by REPA´s customers as a monthly, quarterly or yearly payment for the preceding period. Fees for glass packaging are paid directly to Svensk GlasÅtervinning and amount to about 0.17 SEK per piece on average.

The packaging fee is only to be collected at one stage. In principle, the packaging fee is to be paid by the filler. Further fees can apply, for instance the import fee on all sales, industrial and transport packaging around items that are imported or brought from another EU country. In addition, there is the fee for packaging used (packed or filled) in Sweden on all packaging which is added to goods or already packed goods: A fee is to be paid if the manufacturer has not already paid.

To prevent all shops, catering establishments, restaurants, pizzerias, hot dog stands, consumers, bakeries, launderettes, banks, offices etc. from having to join just because they fill packaging, a fee for some packaging is charged to the manufacturer and the party which imports the packaging itself. This applies inter alia to plastic bags, standard bags/sacks, pizza cartons, cake cartons, hot-dog trays, plastic film and aluminium foil, wrapping paper, salad containers, disposablecutlery, etc. These packages are called service packaging and special regulations apply to them. Companies which manufacture or import service packaging have to pay a packaging fee for this. (There is an option to let a subsequent party - e.g. a packaging wholesaler - "take over" the obligation to pay the fee, which however requires an explicit agreement between the parties concerned and REPA.)