UK Packaging Waste Regulations

Since 2025, the updated Packaging EPR Regulations replaced the 1997 rules, requiring producers to report packaging types, materials, and weights to boost recycling and reduce landfill waste.

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Valpak can help

Valpak was the first ever UK compliance scheme created by industry as a means of outsourcing the onerous task of complying with the UK Packaging Waste Regulations.

We offer a range of services to assist companies with packaging compliance. Visit our Packaging Compliance page to find out if your business is obligated and how we can help.

FAQs

The Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) Regulations for packaging require producers to fund the full net cost of managing packaging waste in the UK. This is achieved through two key mechanisms: EPR fees and the PRN system.

  • EPR fees cover the costs of collection, sorting, and transport of household packaging waste, ensuring that waste is properly handled from the consumer to the recycling facility.

  • Packaging Waste Recovery Notes (PRNs) fund the actual recycling of packaging materials. PRNs are issued by accredited reprocessors for every tonne of packaging they recycle, providing verified evidence that recycling has taken place.

The 2025 EPR reforms have now taken effect, making these mechanisms mandatory and fully funded by producers. The changes place greater responsibility on obligated producers to manage their packaging’s environmental impact and encourage the use of recyclable and reusable packaging.

For guidance on the new requirements and compliance, visit our Packaging Legislation Reform web page.

The main purpose of the Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) Regulations for packaging is to support the transition to a circular economy by reducing packaging waste, promoting sustainable materials, improving recycling rates, encouraging reuse, and limiting reliance on landfill and incineration.

pEPR regulations were originally designed to:

  • Reduce the amount of packaging waste sent to landfill
  • Control the use of heavy metals in packaging
  • Ensure packaging meets essential requirements

The main sets of regulations currently in force are:

Together, these regulations create a framework that makes producers responsible for the end-of-life management of their packaging, encourages more sustainable packaging design, and drives the UK toward higher recycling and reuse rates.

If a business is found to be non-compliant with the Packaging Waste Regulations it could face criminal prosecution and / or monetary fines. However, the introduction of Civil Sanctions now means that this isn’t always the outcome for non-compliant businesses based in England, Wales and Scotland.

To comply with pEPR, obligated producers must:

  • Register with the relevant Environment Agency, either directly or via a compliance scheme such as Valpak.
  • Submit an annual data return detailing the type and amount of packaging placed on the UK market.
  • Calculate their obligation—the packaging waste they must pay to have recycled—using tools like a Packaging Obligation Calculator.
  • Meet their obligation by purchasing Packaging Waste Recovery Notes (PRNs/PERNs) for the required tonnage of packaging recycled.

Following these steps ensures compliance, supports UK recycling targets, and encourages producers to use more sustainable packaging.