Businesses have until 1st April to submit data under producer responsibility for packaging scheme

Businesses affected by the extended producer responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme, introduced last year, have until 1st April to submit their data.

Under legislation which came into force from 1st January 2024, large businesses must submit data for July to December 2024 by the deadline, with small businesses needing to make their submission for the whole year.

Businesses that are affected must also ensure they are registered with their environmental regulator by the same date. If obligated packaging producers have neither reported their data nor registered, they could face enforcement action.

The pEPR scheme shifts the cost of dealing with household packaging waste away from taxpayers onto the businesses who produce the packaging.  The data producers provide helps to ensure fees are appropriate.

The scheme also aims to incentivise businesses to reduce unnecessary packaging, and shift to recycled or recyclable materials to reduce CO2 emissions and the amount of waste sent to landfill.

Dr Margaret Bates, head of the UK pEPR scheme administrator PackUK, said:

“The need for an effective pEPR scheme that shifts the cost of managing household packaging waste to producers has never been more critical.

“We urge all businesses to check their obligations under pEPR and to report their data and register with environment regulators by 1 April.

“Together, we will deliver a fair and collaborative scheme that addresses the challenges of packaging waste and lays the foundation for a more sustainable and responsible approach to packaging.”

Businesses can check whether they need to report packaging data via the scheme’s website. Submissions of data can be made using the new Report Packaging Data service.