Consultations & Responses

The Welsh Government is consulting on proposed changes to packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to include the costs of managing street-binned and littered packaging waste. Under the current system, these costs largely fall to local authorities, but the proposal would shift the financial responsibility to producers in line with the “polluter pays” principle. The consultation considers different approaches to fee setting, including flat fees, material-specific charges targeting commonly littered items, and hybrid models. Overall, the changes would broaden the scope of EPR in Wales, increasing costs for producers while aiming to incentivise better packaging design and reduce litter.

The UK Government is consulting on proposed reforms to the Packaging Waste Recycling Note (PRN) system, which underpins how evidence of recycling is generated and traded to meet packaging obligations. The consultation explores measures to improve transparency, stability, and effectiveness, including changes to how PRNs are issued, tighter compliance and enforcement, and options to reduce price volatility. It also considers how the system should evolve alongside packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), ensuring it continues to support investment in UK recycling infrastructure while delivering more consistent and reliable outcomes.

Following on from the policy decisions around Simpler Recycling, formerly ‘Consistent Collections’ in England, government consulted on some minor additional measures that could see places of worship, care settings, and charity shops brought in scope of the new requirements.  

Government consulted on the impact of vaping on younger generations, and possible steps to stop young people from taking up vaping. As part of this consultation, they also consulted on ways to limit and control waste and littered vapes.

Government consulted on whether to allow the use of the mass balance approach to evidence that plastic packaging components meet the 30% recycled plastic content threshold for exemption from the Tax when that content is derived from chemical recycling.

Government is running a consultation on proposed reforms to the WEEE regulations to be implemented from 2025/26 which include a new WEEE category for vape products, new producer categories for online marketplaces, and enhanced obligations for producers to support household WEEE collections with greater responsibility for retailers to provide takeback services. Government is also running a call for evidence looking at longer-term reform proposals which include eco-design measures, eco-modulation of fees, new targets, and measures to support the reuse of WEEE

20p ‘deposit’ added to drinks cans/bottles upon purchase, redeemable upon consumers returning containers, promoting recycling.

Producers’ to become financially responsible for funding the net costs associated with dealing with packaging waste’.

£200 per tonne tax on plastic packaging produced or imported that does not contain at least 30% recycled content. Increasing to £210.82 from 1 April 2023.

All local authorities are to collect at least the same basic set of recyclable materials from households and businesses, with a minimum requirement for recyclable waste to be collected co-mingled.

Small ‘deposit’ added to drinks cans/bottles upon purchase, redeemable upon return of container, promoting recycling.