Recycled Contents of Newsprint Bill

House of Commons

Session 1998-99
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Recycled Contents of Newsprint Bill

This is the text of the Recycled Contents of Newsprint Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 25th March 1999.

Recycled Contents of Newsprint Bill

ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES

Clause

1. Regulations imposing a duty on newspaper publishers.

2. Information to be given on the face of newspapers.

3. Short title and commencement.

A
B I L L
TO
Increase the content of recycled paper collected and used in newsprint in England and Wales; and for connected purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Regulations imposing a duty on newspaper publishers.     1. - (1) The Secretary of State shall within one year of the passing of this Act make regulations requiring publishers of newspapers or magazines to take such steps as in his opinion will ensure that the requirements of subsections (2) and (3) below are complied with.

    (2) The first requirement is that during the following periods the stated minimum proportion by equivalent weight of newspapers and magazines produced shall be collected and recycled, that is to say-

(i) until 31st December 2002, 30 per cent.;

(ii) from 1st January 2003 until 31st December 2005, 38 per cent.;

(iii) from 1st January 2006 until 31st December 2009, 45 per cent.; and

(iv) from 1st January 2010, 50 per cent..

    (3) The second requirement is that during the following periods all newspapers and magazines produced shall contain a minimum proportion by weight of recycled fibre, that is to say-

(i) until 31st December 2002, 50 per cent.;

(ii) from 1st January 2003 until 31st December 2005, 65 per cent.;

(iii) from 1st January 2006 until 31st December 2009, 70 per cent.; and

(iv) from 1st January 2010, 80 per cent..

    (4) Regulations under this section shall contain such provisions as the Secretary of State deems appropriate regarding the monitoring and enforcement of the requirements, including the setting of any penalties that may be imposed for non-compliance.

    (5) Before making regulations under this section the Secretary of State shall consult organisations representing such persons as in his opinion will be affected by the regulations.

    (6) Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument, which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Information to be given on the face of newspapers.     2. - (1) A newspaper publisher shall ensure that any newspaper published by him for sale or distribution in England or Wales is clearly marked on the front page with-

(a) the name and address of the publisher; and

(b) the percentage of recycled fibre content of the newsprint used in the publication, expressed as an average for the most recent period of three calendar months.

    (2) Any person who fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable-

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum; or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.

Short title and commencement.     3. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Recycled Content of Newsprint Act 1999.

    (2) This Act shall come into force on 1st January or 1st July first falling after this Act has been passed, whichever is the sooner.

© Parliamentary copyright 1999
Prepared 22 April 1999