UK's extended producer responsibility scheme delayed by one year

26th July 2023


The UK government has announced that new rules to ensure packaging producers pay for the cost of recycling their products will be deferred by a year to October 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) said that the additional year would be used to “reduce the costs of implementation” of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme and “drive down inflation” for customers.

This will give industry, local authorities and waste management companies more time to prepare to ensure the success of the scheme, according to Defra, with the decision to delay taken jointly with the devolved administrations.

Environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “We’re determined to transform the way we collect, recycle and reuse our waste materials so we eliminate all avoidable waste by 2050 in a way that works for households and consumers.

“We are also listening to industry and ensuring our work to tackle inflation and to drive up recycling go hand in hand, to make sure our reforms will be a success.”

Defra said that producers have already started to use less packaging and adopt easier-to recycle packaging in preparation of the EPR, and expects this to continue.

As it aims to eliminate avoidable waste by 2050, the government has also introduced a tax on plastic packaging which does not meet a minimum threshold of at least 30% recycled content, and will introduce bans on some single-use plastic items.

More consistent recycling collections for households are expected after the implementation of the EPR scheme.

Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury’s, said that the delay will provide the supermarket chain with the necessary time to "get EPR right first time".

However, the Recycling Association’s chief executive Paul Sanderson, described the decision as "unbelievable", saying that “we’ve been waiting too long for EPR and consistency of collections to be introduced”.

He continued: “Both of these policies have the potential to transform the UK recycling landscape, and provide essential funds to develop UK infrastructure.

“We’ve had too many years of drift already since these policies were first announced in 2018, and now it seems we won’t get any further until at least 2025. That is too long, especially as much of the detail should have long been worked out.

“This delay must ensure that we are fully ready to implement EPR and consistency of collections soon after with all of the policy detail worked out and agreed.”

Image credit: Shutterstock

Subscribe

Subscribe to IEMA's newsletters to receive timely articles, expert opinions, event announcements, and much more, directly in your inbox.


Transform articles

From rubbish to refuse

David Burrows on the stolen concept of a circular economy, and how reduction must be at the heart of product design

30th November 2023

Read more

Zero Waste Scotland is focused on closing the energy sector’s circularity gap. Kenny Taylor reports on progress so far

28th November 2023

Read more

The IEMA Circular Economy Network Steering Group has published a guide on how to integrate circular strategies into your business model.

24th November 2023

Read more

Environmental crimes could result in prison sentences of up to 10 years and company fines of 5% of turnover under a proposed EU law agreed by the European parliament and council.

21st November 2023

Read more

Ellen Williams on the ecosystem approach to sustainably managing economies

14th November 2023

Read more

Lorraine Dallmeier unmasks the environmental impact of the cosmetics industry

28th September 2023

Read more

From eliminating single-use plastics and cutting emissions, to building resilience to pandemics, the list of sustainability issues the NHS has to contend with is endless. Heidi Barnard, PIEMA, head of sustainability at NHS Supply Chain, tells Chris Seekings how she tackles them.

28th September 2023

Read more

With 90% of the world’s goods transported by ship, the maritime industry is confronting major challenges to safety and supply. Huw Morris reports

28th September 2023

Read more

Media enquires

Looking for an expert to speak at an event or comment on an item in the news?

Find an expert

IEMA Cookie Notice

Clicking the ‘Accept all’ button means you are accepting analytics and third-party cookies. Our website uses necessary cookies which are required in order to make our website work. In addition to these, we use analytics and third-party cookies to optimise site functionality and give you the best possible experience. To control which cookies are set, click ‘Settings’. To learn more about cookies, how we use them on our website and how to change your cookie settings please view our cookie policy.

Manage cookie settings

Our use of cookies

You can learn more detailed information in our cookie policy.

Some cookies are essential, but non-essential cookies help us to improve the experience on our site by providing insights into how the site is being used. To maintain privacy management, this relies on cookie identifiers. Resetting or deleting your browser cookies will reset these preferences.

Essential cookies

These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website.

Analytics cookies

These cookies allow us to recognise and count the number of visitors to our website and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our website works.

Advertising cookies

These cookies allow us to tailor advertising to you based on your interests. If you do not accept these cookies, you will still see adverts, but these will be more generic.

Save and close