What is packaging?

To comply with packaging and packaging waste regulations, it is important that you know what is classed as packaging.

Packaging is anything used to contain, protect, handle, deliver or present raw materials and processed goods.

Packaging includes items being used to contain or wrap products that are to be sold or being sold, such as:

• boxes
• pallets
• crates
• containers
• bags and sacks
• tape and materials for wrapping, binding and tying
• disposable foodservice packaging, such as trays, plates and cups.

and also items being used to handle or support the products being sold or to be sold, such as:

• rolls, tubes and cylinders around which flexible material, like plastic film, aluminium or paper, is wound, and that are used to present that material as a sales unit
• clothes hangers that are sold with (as part of) the clothing item

Also considered as packaging are packaging components and auxiliary elements integrated into packaging or attached to a product and which perform a packaging function. Examples of this include the labels of products being sold, a mascara brush which forms part of the container closure and a device for measuring dosage which forms part of the container closure for detergents.

An item is not packaging if it is either:

• part of a product, is necessary to preserve, contain or support the product during its lifespan and use, and intended to be disposed off together with the product. So, the following examples are not considered as packaging: tea bags; pots for house plants intended to stay with the plant throughout its life; CD, DVD and video cases sold together with a CD, DVD or video inside; and printer cartridges
• integrated into the product being sold and intended to be used and thrown away with it; for example, radio frequency identification tags.

Further information

UK: Definition of packaging in Part 2 of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015

DAERA NI: Definition of packaging waste

SEPA: Packaging waste – an overview

Packaging regulations  - who they apply to

The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015 establish requirements packaging must meet before it can be placed on the EU market. Your business must comply with these regulations if you:

• package or fill products into packaging, or
• have your brand, trademark or distinctive mark on the packaging (as in these cases you will be considered the packer/ filler)
• recondition the packaging for reuse, or
• import packaging or filled packaging., or
• manufacture packaging or are the manufacturer’s authorised representative in the European Union;

and

• intend to place the new or reconditioned packaging on the EU market - the regulations don’t apply to used packaging that is going to be reused.

For more information on the definition of packaging, see What is packaging? in this guide.

Packaging design and use - requirements for all new packaging

You may only place new or reconditioned packaging on the market in the EU if it meets the following requirements.

• Reduced package - The packaging must be reduced to the minimum, in volume and weight, that guarantees: that the packaged product has the appropriate level of safety and hygiene, and that consumers find it acceptable.
• Reduced environmental impact - The packaging must be designed, manufactured and commercialised so that the impact on the environment when it or its residues are finally disposed off is minimised.
• Reduced levels of noxious and hazardous substances - The packaging must not contain high levels of noxious or hazardous substances, so that the amounts of these substances are minimal when the packaging waste is landfilled or incinerated - for example, from ash or leachate, the liquid that drains from a landfill site.
• Limited levels of regulated metals - The sum of the concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium in the packaging and in any of its packaging components must not be more than 100 parts per million by weight. There are a few exemptions from the limits - see “Packaging design and use - exemptions from the regulations” in this guide.
• The packaging must be manufactured so that it can be reused or recovered.
• For packaging you intend to be recovered by recycling, it must be manufactured so that a percentage (by weight) of the material can be recycled. The percentage varies according to the type of material and the current standards in the European Union.
• For packaging you intend to be recovered by energy recovery, it must allow for the maximum amount of energy to be recovered - if you burn any packaging waste, it must produce more energy than is used by the incineration process.
• For packaging you intend to be for recovery by composting, it must be of biodegradable material such that it doesn't hinder the separate collection and composting process. To be biodegradable the packaging must decompose mostly into carbon dioxide, biomass and water.

Packaging design - additional requirements for reusable packaging

In addition to the previous requirements, to place on the market packaging designed to be reusable, the packaging must meet the following requirements:

• the packaging must be appropriate for being reused several times, in normal conditions of use.
• once used, the packaging must be suitable for processing so as to meet health and safety requirements for the workplace
• once at the end of its useful life, the packaging must meet one of the requirements for recovery.

Demonstrating compliance

The best way to demonstrate you comply with the packaging design requirements is to follow the European Standards on designing packaging, or the British Standards.
EUROPEN: Understanding the CEN standards on packaging and the environment (PDF 300KB)
BSI: British Standards for packaging manufacturing

Keeping records

You must:

• be able to demonstrate that your packaging complies with the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations
• keep records: keep evidence that your packaging complies with the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations, for at least four years from the date the packaging was first placed on the market.
• be able to supply these details within 28 days, if requested by the enforcement authority. The enforcement authority is, in Northern Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, and, in Scotland, the trading standards departments of local authorities. 
  

  Northern Ireland: Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETINI)
  Scotland: Local Authorities

How you hold this information is up to you. You may need to keep a variety of document types to ensure you have evidence for all of the requirements.

You could keep records of:

• existing technical documents on the design and use of your packaging
• existing quality assurance documents
• environmental management systems and auditing documents
• documents relating to other packaging standards.

Other packaging requirements

Additional requirements may apply if you produce or use specialist packaging, such as food contact packaging or medical packaging, or packaging for hazardous chemical products.

You can read guidance on medical product packaging on GOV.UK website.
GOV.UK: Medicines: packaging, labelling and patient information leaflets

You can read guidance on food contact packaging on the FSA website:
Food Standards Agency: Food packaging requirements

Requirements for packaging used for hazardous chemical products

If you are a supplier of chemical substances and mixtures, (manufacturer, importer, distributor, downstream user), your packaging has to meet the requirements of the CLP Regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures.

The packaging to be used for hazardous chemicals:

• must not let the hazardous chemical escape
• must not get damaged by the hazardous chemical
• must be strong enough to allow normal handling conditions
• if it is re-closable package, must continue to prevent escape after repeated use,
• in some cases, must not have a shape or designation likely to attract the curiosity of children or mislead costumers
• in some cases, must have child resistant closures or fastenings, and tactile warnings for visually impaired costumers

There are labelling requirements for this packaging. Find out your obligations under these regulations in Classifying and labelling chemicals.

Further information

BIS: Government Guidance notes October 2015 – Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations

Guidance on Labelling and Packaging in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008

Health and Safety Executive (HSE): Labelling and Packaging 

Packaging design and use - exemptions from the regulations

If you are placing packaging on the EU market, under some conditions you may be exempt from some of the requirements of the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2015. But you will still have to comply with the remaining requirements.

The requirement that packaging and packaging components put on the market must have no more than 100 parts per million by weight concentration total of regulated metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium) in the packaging and in any of its packaging components, does not apply in the following cases:

1. packaging made entirely of lead crystal glass
2. glass packaging, if some criteria are met
3. recycled plastic crates or plastic pallets, if some criteria are met

1. Lead crystal glass packaging

The requirement on concentration of regulated metals does not apply to packaging made entirely of lead crystal glass. But you must comply with the other regulation requirement of keeping records and demonstrating compliance. Check "Packaging design and use – your environmental responsibilities" in this guide.

2. Glass packaging

Glass packaging may contain more than 100ppm of regulated metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium)  if:

• no regulated metals have been intentionally introduced during manufacturing
• the limits of regulated metals are only exceeded as a result of adding recycled materials which contain those heavy metals.

What you must do

• You must submit a report to your enforcement authority whenever the average concentration levels of regulated metals on any 12 consecutive months, made from the production of each individual glass furnace, is larger than 200ppm. Your report must include details about the measurements, the suspected sources for the presence of heavy metals and the measures taken to reduce heavy metals concentration levels.
• If requested by your enforcement authority, you must report on measurement results and methods used. You must submit this information within 28 days of the date of request.

You must comply with the remaining packaging requirements obligations. Check "Packaging design and use – your environmental responsibilities" in this guide.

The enforcement authorities for these regulations are:

• in Northern Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) 
• in Scotland, the trading standards department of your local authority.

3. Plastic pallets and plastic crates

Recycled plastic pallets and crates may contain more than 100ppm of regulated metals (lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium) if:

- their manufacture is a controlled recycling process in which

• the only recycling materials used are from other plastic crates and pallets, and the amount of other materials introduced is the minimum feasible and is no more than 20% by weight
• no regulated metals are intentionally introduced during the manufacture
• the limits in regulated metals are only exceeded as a result of adding recycled materials which contain those heavy metals;

- and their distribution and reuse system is a controlled process in which

• no regulated metals are intentionally introduced during distribution
• all plastic pallets and crates that regulated metals are marked in a permanent and visible way
• you keep an inventory and full records, documenting the compliance with the conditions of the exemption and including return rates (percentage of pallets and crates that are returned, rather than discarded)
• the return rate of the pallets and crates over their lifetime is at least 90 per cent
• crates and pallets that are no longer reusable must be either disposed off through a procedure specifically authorised by your environment regulator, or used in a controlled recycling process as described above.

What you must do

- You must produce documents showing that you have met the conditions of the exemption

• Every year, you must produce a “declaration of conformity”, including an annual report showing: that you met the conditions of the exemption, and what changes you have made to the process during the year.
• You must keep each declaration of conformity for four years.
• If the enforcement authority requests it, you must provide the declaration of conformity, inventory and records, within 28 days of the date of the request.

- You must comply with the remaining packaging requirements obligations. Check "Packaging design and use – your environmental responsibilities" in this guide.

Packaging producer obligations - who do they apply to?

What you must do

You must comply with producer responsibility obligations if your business handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year and has a turnover of more than £2 million (based on the previous financial year).

The obligations apply to the total amount of packaging that your business handles, not the amount of packaging waste that your business produces.

If your business belongs to a group of companies, these requirements apply to the total amount of packaging handled by the group and the group's total annual turnover.

Do you handle packaging?

Your business handles packaging if you, or someone acting on your behalf:

• manufacture the raw materials used to make packaging
• convert raw materials into packaging
• fill packaging (putting goods or products into packaging)
• supply packaged goods to the end user (this may be another business or the public)
• lease or hire out packaging, such as pallets
• operate a franchise or other licensed business, including pubs
• import packaging, packaging materials or packaged goods into the UK
• bring transit packaging into the UK that will end up as waste in the UK.

GOV.UK: Packaging waste: producer resposnibilities

Second-hand and reusable packaging

If your business reuses second-hand packaging, sourced in the UK, you do not need to count this towards the total amount of packaging you handle. This only applies if the packaging is in its original form and you use it for the same purpose that it was made for. For example, you may reuse cardboard boxes or filling materials.

If you import reusable or reused second-hand packaging, you must count this towards the total amount of packaging you handle. Packaging that is intended to be reusable includes steel roll cages, plastic milk crates and refillable glass milk bottles.

If you produce reusable packaging you must ensure that your product complies with the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations. These regulations apply to all businesses that design, produce and place packaging on the market. See the page in this guide on Packaging design and use - your environmental responsibilities

If your business reconditions or otherwise alters old packaging for a different use you must still comply with the producer responsibility obligations as the packaging is considered new to the market.

Packaging producer obligations - compliance schemes

What you must do

You must comply with packaging producer responsibility obligations if your business handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year and has a turnover of more than £2 million (based on the previous financial year).

You can either join a compliance scheme or follow the allocation method.

Join a compliance scheme

A registered packaging compliance scheme takes on your business' statutory recovery and recycling obligations by:

• registering your business with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
• carrying out your recovery and recycling obligations
• providing electronic packaging recovery notes (ePRNs) and packaging export recovery notes (ePERNs) to the NIEA or SEPA
• reporting on compliance to the NIEA or SEPA.

ePRNs are issued electronically by accredited reprocessors who accept packaging waste and issue an evidence note stating how much packaging waste they have recovered or recycled.

ePERNs are issued electronically by accredited exporters when packaging waste is exported to approved reprocessors outside the UK.

Once you have registered with a compliance scheme, you must:

• supply the scheme with relevant information, for example the amount of packaging you handle
• pay a fee - this normally includes a reduced registration fee that the scheme pays to the NIEA or SEPA.

The Environment Agency provides a list of packaging compliance schemes for the UK through the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD).

NPWD: Compliance schemes public register

If your main packaging activity is selling packaging or packaged goods, you must provide information to your customers about:

• reusing, recovering and recycling packaging
• the collection facilities available to them

Follow the allocation method

If you have a turnover of less than £5 million each year you can comply with your obligations by following the allocation method.

Instead of having to collect detailed information about the amount of packaging you handle, your recycling and recovery obligation is based on your turnover and the main packaging material you handle.

This is a voluntary method. If you choose to use the allocation method, you must follow it for at least three years.

If your turnover exceeds £5 million a year in this period you must stop using the allocation method and join a compliance scheme or follow the individual route to comply with your packaging waste obligations.

Calculate your own recycling and recovery obligations

For information on calculating your own recycling and recovery requirements, see the page in this guide on Packaging producer obligations - individual route

Packaging producer obligations - individual route

To comply with your obligations as a packaging producer, you can calculate your own recycling and recovery requirements and register yourself with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) or the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). This is called the 'individual route' or 'direct registration'.

What you must do

Assess how much packaging your business handles

To calculate your recovery and recycling obligations for the coming year, you need to assess:

• the amount and type of packaging your business handled and supplied in the last calendar year
• how you handled this packaging - manufacturing, filling, importing, etc.

Make sure you include all the packaging that your business owns and handles, not just packaging waste that you produce.

You can use the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) to calculate your recovery and recycling obligations for each category of packaging material for the year.

The UK National Packaging Waste Database

GOV.UK: Packaging waste: producer responsibility

Register with the NIEA or SEPA

You must register with the NIEA or SEPA by 7 April each year. If you carry out activities in more than one part of the UK, you must register with each relevant environmental regulator. You can register online through the UK National Packaging Waste Database.

You must pay an annual registration fee to cover administration and monitoring costs.

Recycle and recover packaging waste

Once you have calculated your obligation, you need evidence that an amount of packaging waste equivalent to your obligation has been recycled or recovered on your behalf. This evidence is in the form of electronic packaging waste recovery notes (ePRNs) and electronic packaging waste export recovery notes (ePERNs).

You can make sure that your packaging waste is recycled by using:

• local authority recycling collections
• local community recycling organisations
• commercial recycling contractors

Find your nearest waste site

Confirm you have met your recovery and recycling obligations

You must submit a certificate of compliance, signed by a partner, director, company secretary or member of staff with authority to sign off documents under the regulations, to the NIEA or SEPA by 31 January each year.

You must provide copies of evidence of compliance to support your certificate. You can do this online using the National Packaging Waste Database.

The evidence you will need to provide must either be:

• ePRNs - if they are issued by a UK reprocessor of packaging wastes
• ePERNs - if they are issued by a UK exporter of packaging wastes

There are separate ePRNs and ePERNs for each type of packaging waste.

Accredited reprocessors and exporters will normally charge a fee for ePRNs and ePERNs. The cost of ePRNs and ePERNs is not set at a fixed rate, but depends on the relative supply and demand for evidence.

You can find a full list of accredited reprocessors and exporters on the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD).

NPWD: Public register of accredited reprocessors and exporters

Provide information to customers

If your main packaging activity is selling packaging or finished goods in packaging to the final user or consumer, you must tell your customers about:

• return, recovery and collection facilities available to them
• how they can help to reuse, recover and recycle packaging, for example how to sort waste correctly or encourage the reuse of packaging

This is called the consumer information obligation.

Reprocessing and exporting packaging waste

If you recover, recycle or export packaging waste, you can apply for accreditation. This will allow you to issue electronic packaging waste recovery notes (ePRNs) and electronic packaging waste export recovery notes (ePERNs) to obligated businesses and compliance schemes.

ePRNs and ePERNs can be issued for each tonne of packaging waste reprocessed or exported for reprocessing. Businesses and compliance schemes obtain ePRNs or ePERNs to show that they have met their packaging recovery and recycling obligation. As an accredited reprocessor or exporter you can charge for this service.

What you must do

Applying for accreditation

You can apply for accreditation from:

• the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in Northern Ireland
• the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland

using the National Packaging Waste Database. You will have to pay a fee to apply for accreditation. You will need to contact the NIEA or SEPA to get a login for the National Packaging Waste Database.

NPWD: National Packaging Waste Database

To apply for reprocessor accreditation you need to provide evidence of the:

• UK source of the packaging waste that you reprocess
• weight of the packaging waste
• efficiency of your reprocessing plant
• final use of the recovered material.

To apply for exporter accreditation you need to provide evidence of the:

• UK source of the packaging waste you export
• weight of the packaging waste
• point of export
• clearance by customs of the receiving country
• destination of the packaging waste - details of interim recipients are not sufficient.

Import and export of waste

Storing, treating and disposing of waste

If you store, treat or dispose of packaging waste, you may need a waste management licence or to register an exemption from waste management licensing.

Waste Management Licences

Transporting waste

If you transport waste yourself, you will need to register with the NIEA or SEPA as a waste carrier. See our guide on waste carriers, brokers and dealers.

Further information

Read the guidance for Recycling and Reprocessing businesses on NetRegs

Recycling and reprocessing

Reduce, reuse and recycle packaging waste

Even if the packaging regulations do not apply to you, it is a good idea to reduce, reuse and recycle packaging. This can save your business money and reduce your waste disposal costs.

Good practice

Buying packaging and packaged products

Create guidelines for packaging for your staff to follow when buying goods for your business.

Buy goods in bulk to reduce packaging. For example:

• buy paint in one 5-litre drum, instead of buying five individual 1-litre drums
• buy bigger jars of coffee, instead of buying smaller jars frequently.

You could also:

• remove disposable plastic cups from drinks machines, and ask staff to use their own mugs instead
• use bowls of sugar, jugs of milk and reusable or biodegradable cutlery, when organising events, meetings or conferences, instead of many small, individually packaged products
• buy recycled office stationery that uses recyclable or biodegradable packaging.

Selling packaging

If you sell packaging, tell your customers about the return, recovery and collection facilities available to them.

Use recyclable or biodegradable materials to package your products.

Reusing packaging

You could:

• introduce returnable and reusable packaging in co-operation with your supply chain and customers
• shred old paper to reuse as packaging filling
• keep old bubble wrap or polystyrene to reuse as packaging
• reuse packaging such as wooden pallets, cardboard boxes or jiffy bags.

The NIEA has produced a guidance that explains the reuse of materials, and when waste legislation does not apply.

NIEA: Regulatory Position Statement – Reuse of Material

SEPA has produced guidance on how the waste regulations apply to reuse of goods.

SEPA: Reuse Activities and Waste Regulation

Disposing of packaging

Reduce, reuse and recycle your packaging waste. Separate different types of packaging for recycling - this should reduce your recycling costs.

Cover any waste packaging stored in skips to prevent pollution and to minimise wind-blown dust and litter.

If packaging is intended for reuse, make sure you have documented the systems for supply, return, reuse and refill.

If there is a risk that the packaging could have been contaminated during its use, you must ensure it is kept dry and that any run-off doesn't pollute water or land. Ensure your site drainage system is connected to the sewer system.

Buy a compactor or baler, which crushes packaging into blocks. This will allow you to transport larger volumes of packaging, which will reduce your recycling or disposal costs.

Reduce, reuse, recycle your business waste

Further information

Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment (INCPEN): Publications

INCPEN: Sustainability checklist for packaging

Packaging environmental regulations

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.

CLP Regulation - The European Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures– consolidated version

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.

Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste)(Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017 SR3

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.

Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste)(Amendment No2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017/230

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.

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.

CLP Regulation - The European Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures– consolidated version

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.

Further information

Current and future legislation

Environmental management systems and environmental reports

Waste management licences

Contact your environmental regulator