The government has published its recommendations for a new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy, which it says will help “drive down unnecessary waste.”

According to the new recommendations, producers will pay more for less sustainable packaging. The government said that this will therefore incentivise packaging that uses less material and is easier to recycle.

Producers will also be expected to meet new recycling targets and use clear unambiguous labelling of recyclability to make it easy for consumers “to do the right thing.”

Within its report, the government said that the current producer responsibility system for packaging has operated since 1997, but it has never covered the full costs of disposing of packaging waste.

The government claims that the new EPR will move the full cost of dealing with packaging waste from households away from local taxpayers and councils to the packaging producers, giving producers responsibility for the costs of their packaging throughout its life cycle.

Major changes following the consultation

The government said it will implement EPR in a phased manner from 2024, rather than 2023. It will introduce modulated fees based on recyclability from 2025, rather than 2024. In England and Northern Ireland, the government will not introduce payments for packaging waste that is littered; Scotland and Wales are considering steps to obligate producers for these costs.

According to the report, the government has decided to maintain the threshold for producer recycling obligations and disposal cost payments at £2 million turnover and 50 tonnes of packaging handled each year, rather than to lower it. However, a lower threshold of £1 million turnover and 25 tonnes of packaging handled each year will be introduced for producers to report packaging placed on the market only.

The government will continue to explore payments for commercially collected packaging waste (from businesses and other organisations that pay for the collection of their waste), establishing a task force, with cross-sector representation, to develop the evidence, undertake analysis and identify options.

A constructive and pragmatic approach

Chief executive of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Karen Betts said that food and drink manufacturers “fully support” changes in UK public policy to help the industry move towards a circular economy.

She said: “We’re pleased the UK government has today proposed a constructive and pragmatic approach to Extended Producer Responsibility, which will impose changes on how manufacturers approach packaging our products.

“We welcome the UK government’s flexibility as the measures have been drawn up, including further discussion on business waste, which would impose disproportionate costs on businesses, as well as the obligation on industry to pay for illegal littering, a decision which we hope the devolved administrations will also adopt.”

Betts added: “Food and drink manufacturers will continue to engage with UK and devolved governments on the remaining elements of EPR, including the establishment of the Scheme Administrator and implementing the related chemical recycling process.”