Biffa publishes guide to Extended Producer Responsibility to help businesses handling packaging

Packaging Solutions Green Solutions

Sustainable waste management company Biffa has released a guide to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to help UK businesses meet new obligations for packaging waste.

EPR is one of a group of changes to deliver 2018’s 25 year environment plan, circular economy package and UN Sustainable Development Goals. It holds producers (rather than taxpayers) responsible for the collection, sorting, recycling, or disposal of any product packaging brought into the UK market and destined for households.

They must report their data from 2023, then EPR fees will be introduced from October 2025. Obligations differ depending on business size, but those with an annual turnover below £1 million and handling less than 25 tonnes of packaging are exempt.

The new rules aim to inspire a circular economy for packaging in the UK. In time, EPR could facilitate a wider transition towards a carbon based hierarchy for waste management in a domestic supply chain – an essential step in creating a more sustainable future as highlighted in Biffa’s Blueprint for Waste Net Zero.

‘A practical guide to Extended Producer Responsibility: what businesses need to do and why it is important’ from Biffa, outlines who is responsible, the timeline (with deadlines), and how to prepare. This is underpinned by insight from leading business waste experts at the company on how EPR will impact important areas like packaging design, recycling and the UK’s wider sustainability strategy.

The full news report on this story can be found on our sister website www.greensolutionsmag.co.uk