United Kingdom EPR guide | Lovat Compliance

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging in United Kingdom

On January 1, 2023, the UK government introduced new EPR rules for packaging. This means that new rules have come into force requiring companies to take responsibility for their packaging and its subsequent recycling.

Get your EPR number in countries where you sell your goods with packages.

Packaging

Packaging is the materials or wrappings used to protect, store, transport and present goods. Packaging can be made from a variety of materials, such as paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, metal, or other combined materials, and is designed to ensure the safety and integrity of goods as they move through the supply chain and interact with consumers. The following falls under packaging in UK:

Plastic;
Paper/Board;
Aluminium;
Glass;
Steel;
Wood;
Fibre-based composites;
Other.

Get your EPR number in countries where you sell your goods with packages

Who must register

The rules will be relevant to any packaging-importing or supplying entities within the UK.
You must report your packaging if:

you are an independent enterprise, a subsidiary, or part of a larger organization (excluding charities);
your annual revenue is £1 million or greater;
your contribution to packaging exceeded 25 tonnes in the year 2022;
you engage in any packaging-related actions.

Threshold

Manufacturers, brand owners and importers who produce more than 25 tons of packaging but do not reach the 50-ton threshold and have an annual turnover of more than £1 million (small companies) are subject to the Packaging Requirements (EPR), but only in terms of the data reporting obligation, while those who produce more than 50 tons and have a turnover of more than £2 million (large companies) will be required to pay fees (license fees) to comply with the EPR.

If you are a small company, then yours is next:

enter your packaging data for 2023;
create an account for your company from 2024;
pay the fee to the environmental authority from 2024;
report the amount of your packaging in the future.

If you are a large company, then yours is next:

enter your packaging data for 2023;
create an account for your company from August 1, 2023;
pay the recycling fee;
pay administrative costs;
pay the fee to the environmental authority;
obtain a PRN or PERN to fulfill your recycling obligations;
report the amount of your packaging in the future.

Registration procedure

To register for the EPR in the field of packaging, it is necessary to conclude an agreement with third parties (eco-operators) and with their help it is possible to perform most of the necessary functions related to the EPR for packaging.

Tax representative

Companies don’t need tax representatives to register for EPR registration.

Filling EPR return

All data and declarations for your 2023 packaging must be submitted to the relevant authorities between January 1 and April 1, 2024.

Have questions? Ask EPR team

EPR for ЕЕЕ in the UK

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations were established to preserve the surroundings. The UK is a contracting party to these regulations. Therefore, the WEEE Regulations 2013 regulate the management of e-waste based on the Directive 2012/19/EU.

Who is considered responsible?

Individuals involved in producing, importing, or selling electrical or electronic equipment in the UK are obligated to adhere to specific environmental regulations.

What are the EEE categories?

As for now, there are 5 categories prescribed in the UK:

Large Household Appliances;
Small Household Appliances;
IT and Telecoms Equipment WEEE;
Consumer Equipment;
Lighting Equipment.

Thresholds

No threshold is applied; every company that brings products to the market must register.

Registration procedure

To comply with EEE regulations in the UK, follow these steps:

Register as an EEE manufacturer after placing EEE on the UK market.
Complete registration on the National Packaging Waste Database (for smaller producers).
Participate in a compliance scheme to address the expenses associated with WEEE collection and recycling.
Pay the applicable license fee.
Obtain the company’s EPR number.
Report the quantity of EEE released onto the market.

Authorized representative

To register for the EPR rules for electronic and electrical appliances in the UK, foreign companies must either appoint an authorized representative in the UK or join an approved producer responsibility scheme.

Reporting Deadline

Electrical and electronic equipment producers should provide the reports quarterly. The deadline is the last day of the following month after the end of the quarter.

Sanctions in case of violation

The standard criminal and offense-specific responses for violating the Legislative Decree are warning, formal caution, and prosecution.