EPR policies aim to reduce waste and promote sustainable production by holding producers accountable for the environmental impact of their products. This means that producers must take measures to reduce the environmental impact of their products from the design phase to the end of their useful life.

The goal of EPR is to promote the development of sustainable production systems and to encourage the use of environmentally friendly materials and technologies. EPR policies can also create economic opportunities and new jobs in the recycling and waste management sectors.

How will EPR affect my operation?

The direction expresses that this change will affect all UK organisations that handle or supply packaging.

The actions that will need to be taken all depend on the size of your business, however, you must take action to comply if all the following apply:

• You’re an individual business, subsidiary, or group (but not a charity).
• You have an annual turnover of £1 million or more (based on your most recent annual accounts).
• You were responsible for more than 25 tonnes of packaging in 2022.
• Your organisation delivers goods in any kind of packaging to an end user who will dispose of that packaging, you may need to collect and report on packaging data.

What actions need to be taken under EPR?

These actions will vary according to the size and nature of your business, but may include some of the following:

• Recording data about all the empty packaging and packaging items you handle and supply through the UK market as of 1st of January 2023.
• Registering for the EPR for packaging online service.
• Submitting your data about the empty packaging and packaged products you handled or supplied through the UK market during 2023 every six months.
• Paying a fee for the environmental regulator.
• Purchasing packaging waste recycling notes (PRNs) or packaging waste export recycling notes (PERNS) to meet recycling obligations.
• Submitting ‘Nation Data’. Nation Data is information about which country in the UK your packaging has been sold, hired, or loaned in. This means that these types of companies will need to look over the packaging they handle in closer detail than they do currently.

We can help with your organisation’s EPR liabilities by providing sustainable packaging design solutions. This includes using materials that are recyclable or biodegradable, as well as designing packaging that is optimized for efficiency. By using sustainable materials and reducing waste, customers can reduce their environmental impact and meet their EPR obligations.

If you want to find out more information about EPR and how we can help, join our webinar on the 20th of September at 10:00 a.m.