Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
EPR has arrived...
EPR has succeeded the previous packaging regulations (Producer Responsibility Packaging Regulations) in the UK to place a greater responsibility on businesses for the ‘Full Net Cost’ of packaging at end-of-life.
EPR hopes to incentivise producers to design packaging that is easy to recycle by ensuring that they pay the full net cost of managing their packaging once it becomes waste.
The government has developed a new registration portal for EPR, called Report Packaging Data (RPD). Large Producers under EPR must Enrol now.
What does this mean for you?
Naturally, when a new policy comes into play, a number of changes can be expected, with the key changes being:
- New costs for businesses, made up of two parts:
- Current PRN system covering the cost of recycling
- Disposal costs or modulated fees
- The whole obligation sits on one type of producer, instead of the former "shared" obligation system and so you would need to identify which producer type(s) your business is responsible for:
- Brand Owner
- Packer/Filler
- Importer
- Distributor
- Online Marketplace
- Service Provider
- You will need to report the type of waste their packaging will become at end-of-life:
- Household waste
- Non-household waste
- Street bin waste
- Drinks container
- Re-usable
- Self-managed waste
At first glance, this does seem far more complicated than the previous Regulations, but Paperpak is here to help you navigate all these changes.
Are you obligated?
First, you must determine where your business sits as a producer:
LARGE PRODUCER
- Your business must assess the packaging supplied and has a full obligation.
- You must report data twice a year and pay fees towards packaging recycling (PRNs).
- You will also have to pay Disposal/Modulated Fees, if you supply Household packaging.
SMALL PRODUCER
- Your business must assess the packaging supplied and have to report once a year.
If your business has a turnover less than £1m or you supply less than 25 tonnes of obligated packaging then you do not need to register, however, Paperpak can help you monitor your packaging and check this annually.
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Checklist
The checklist below gives you a starting point to know what to consider when it comes to EPR. Don't be afraid to get in contact with us, so we can help you navigate what information you will need to have to meet the data reporting requirements.