ERRA now has 28 members such as British Steel, Nestle, Pepsi-Cola and Tetra Pak who provide funds for the association to operate from its offices in Brussels

In its statement of purpose, ERRA's overall aim is to "help organise economically efficient and environmentally effective packaging, waste recovery and recycling in Europe, based on co-responsibility of public, private and other parties".

It has been involved in the operation of pilot recycling programmes throughout Europe. Analysis of these operations has allowed ERRA to identify the critical factors that must be understood and carefully managed in order to ensure the successful recovery of household waste.

The key principles steering ERRA in their policy are:

• responsibility should be shared
• waste management should be integrated
• processes should be environmentally friendly
• the total system [for waste management] should be environmentally friendly
• trade barriers must be avoided
• secondary material markets have to be stimulated

ERRA is a mouthpiece for industries involved in the packaging industry, particularly in the creation of a network designed to communicate the packaging industry's position in relation to relevant issues.

It also provided support in discussions on the implementation of the packaging and packaging waste directive, and produces a Reference booklet series which reflects the experience gained by ERRA in data collection and programme analysis. The booklets are broadly grouped under three sections which relate to the establishment and operation of a recovery and recycling programme: how to plan and set up recovery programmes; how to monitor the operation of projects; and how to analyse the results.

Central to the work of ERRA is the designation of 'reference' recycling projects throughout Europe. These projects help in comparing different types of recycling systems and so identify the development of best practice. A key feature of ERRA reference projects in the collection of data in a standardised form is that meaningful comparisons can be made.

A number of authorities, including those in Hampshire, provide data to ERRA on local demographics, waste collection procedures, the composition of waste materials, the processing of waste and the cost of waste operations in order to provide an overall view on the different recovery and recycling systems in Europe. The system will provide statistics which are based on the same criteria and which are collected using the same methodology. Thereby, a comparative analysis can be undertaken of recycling programmes across Europe as a means to improving waste management procedures and practices.

Hampshire's Involvement with ERRA

Hampshire was chosen as a Reference Programme due to the operation of its integrated waste management strategy (Project Integra) which is seen as a unique partnership between the County Council, the 11 district councils, the unitary authorities of Portsmouth and Southampton, and Hampshire Waste Services (the waste contractor). Also, the county has one of the country's leading kerbside recycling schemes.

Hampshire became a member of ERRA in March 1996 and now provides waste collection and recycling data on a regional basis (N, SE and SW), and over Hampshire as a whole. The data is then forwarded to Brussels where it is processed and recorded.

Hampshire is the eighteenth reference programme chosen in Europe, with an aim to expand the network to approximately 25 programmes. Other authorities taking part in the programme include Athens, Barcelona, Dunkirk and Dublin

As a member of ERRA, Hampshire will have access to the most detailed and up-to-date information on recycling systems from all across Europe. This shared knowledge will improve and maximise the performance and potential of Project Integra, especially in the management of collection practices and the recycling of materials from household waste.

See 1998 ERRA Case Study: Hampshire

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