Packaging: environmental legislation
This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of environmental legislation relating to packaging and packaging waste. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
Environmental management systems and environmental reports
Northern Ireland Packaging Legislation
Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009, NISR 2009/238 Set out the new system for the classification, labelling and packaging of hazardous chemicals.
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (Amendments to Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2015, SI 2015/21 Amend 20 statutory instruments. The majority of the amendments arise from changes to the legislation at European level that regulates the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals.
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015, NISR 2015/ 265 Amend one Act and 13 Statutory Rules. The majority of the amendments arise from changes to legislation at European level that regulates the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals.
The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2023
The Regulations require producers to collect and report data on the amount and type of packaging that they place on the market from March 2023 (or from January, if they have this data).
Amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (NI) 2007. These Regulations set an overall recycling target as well as material-specific recycling targets for 2023 on obligated producers in Northern Ireland in relation to glass, plastic, aluminium, steel, paper/board and wood.
Amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.
Replace the EU recovery and recycling targets, in accordance with Directive (EU) 2018/852, with a recycling obligation on producers. Also establish new material specific recycling targets on obligated producers for paper/board, plastic, glass, aluminium, steel and wood as well as the specific re-melt target for glass. The recycling allocation for small producers for 2018 to 2020 is changed for 2021 and 2022.
Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015, SR 2015/1640 Set out requirements for all packaging, which apply to packaging producers, sellers and distributors, including enforcement, offences and penalties. Implements the packaging and packaging waste directive, including the requirement for member states to reduce consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags. Revokes the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 and its amendments.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2007/198 Require producers to recover and recycle packaging waste to achieve European Union (EU) targets.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2008/77 Amend 2007/198 to increase recovery and recycling targets.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment No 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2008/373 Amend 2007/198 by revising the requirements for accrediting an exporter of packaging waste.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2010/396. Amend 2007/198, establishing new waste recovery and recycling targets for 2011 and 2012, strengthening reporting provisions and making other technical changes.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2012/437 Amends schedule 2 of 2007/198, to include new waste packaging recovery and recycling targets for the years 2012 to 2017 and a new set of targets for waste glass packaging for recycling by re-melt for the years 2013-2017.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013 SR 262 Set new recovery and recycling targets for packaging waste for a five year period from 2013 to 2017 (inclusive).
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2016 SR 241 Amend Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007/198. Make producer responsibility more efficient by reducing the regulatory burden on businesses.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016 SR 79 Amend Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007/198. Reduce regulatory burdens by removing the requirement to provide operational plans and enabling producers to delegate the signing of reporting and monitoring requirements to the most appropriate person in the company. Recognise the Department of Environment in Northern Ireland's role in determining applications.
Amend the 2007 Regulations so as to set the recycling targets for glass and plastic together with the recycling by re-melt glass targets for years 2016,2017,2018,2019 and 2020. They revoke the 2014 Regulations.
Amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007. They establish new waste packaging recovery and recycling targets for paper, aluminium, steel and wood for years 2018 to 2020. The amendments also set recycling targets for all packaging materials for years 2018 to 2020.
The Waste (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2019
These regulations make amendments to existing legislation by removing references to European Directives and EU terms to ensure that waste legislation continues to operate after EU exit.
Scotland Packaging Legislation
Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009, SI 2009/716 Revoke and amend Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002/1689, 2005/2571, 2008/2337. Set outs a new system for the classification, labelling and packaging of hazardous chemicals.
Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Chemicals (Amendments to Secondary Legislation) Regulations 2015, SI 2015/21 Amend 20 statutory instruments. The majority of the amendments arise from changes to the legislation at European level that regulates the classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals.
Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015, SR 2015/1640 Revoke the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 and its amendments. Sets out requirements for all packaging, which apply to packaging producers, sellers and distributors, including enforcement, offences and penalties. Implements the packaging and packaging waste directive, including the requirement for member states to reduce consumption of lightweight plastic carrier bags.
Packaging Waste Directive 2013/2/EU The changes amend Annex 1 of the Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC and seek to clarify what is packaging and what is not.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations SI 2007/871 Require producers to recover and recycle packaging waste to achieve European Union targets.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment No 2) Regulations SI 2008/1941 Amend 2007/871 by revising the requirements for accrediting an exporter of packaging waste, giving the Scottish Environment Protection Agency more discretion as to what constitutes sound evidence of reprocessing.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations SI 2010/2849 Amend 2007/871, establishing waste recovery and recycling targets for 2011 and 2012 and making other technical changes.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 SI 2012 No. 3082 Amend schedule 2 of 2007/871, to include new waste packaging recovery and recycling targets for the years 2012 to 2017 and a new set of targets for waste glass packaging for recycling by re-melt for the years 2013-2017.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1857) Amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/871).They substitute an amended formula for the calculation of the amount of glass packaging waste that a producer must recycle by re-melt. The amended formula ensures that the glass re-melt target is applied to a producer’s glass recycling obligation.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2016 SR 241 Amend Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007/871. Make producer responsibility more efficient by reducing the regulatory burden on businesses.
Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 These Regulations establish new recycling targets for plastic for 2016 to 2020 and for glass for 2018 to 2020. The target for recycling by re-melt for 2016 and 2017 is continued for 2018 to 2020. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2014(a) are revoked.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (SI 2017/1221) The amends the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/871) (“the 2007 Regulations”) by setting new packaging waste recycling targets for paper, steel, aluminium and wood and new overall packaging waste recovery and recycling targets from 2018 to 2020.
The Waste (Miscellaneous Amendments) (EU Exit) (No. 2) Regulations 2019 These regulations make amendments to existing legislation by removing references to European Directives and EU terms to ensure that waste legislation continues to operate after EU exit.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2020 These Regulations replace the EU recovery and recycling targets with recycling targets on producers. They also vary the material specific recycling targets on obligated producers for paper, aluminium, steel and wood as well as the specific re-melt target for glass. The recycling allocation for small producers for 2018 to 2020 is changed for 2021 and 2022.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2023 These Regulations amend the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 to set the targets for recycling packaging waste that obligated producers must meet for 2024.
The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 The Regulations require producers to collect and report data on the amount and type of packaging that they place on the market from March 2023 (or from January, if they have these data). Required as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
The Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 The purpose of the Regulations is to correct minor errors and omissions in the Packaging Waste (Data Reporting) (Scotland) Regulations 2023.
Further information
- Current and future legislation
- Environmental management systems and environmental reports
- Waste management licences
- Contact your environmental regulator