Packaging Compliance: A Growing Business Risk
NetRegs has invited Arthian to provide a guest insights article exploring the growing compliance risks associated with packaging regulations across the UK and how SMEs can respond to this. This is the executive summary of that article.
As NetRegs online guidance states, you must comply with packaging regulations if your business manufactures, fills, supplies/imports or handles packaging or packaging materials. Every organisation handling packaging should be aware of these regulations and how these may apply.
There are specific thresholds which apply to obligated UK organisations – two key thresholds for obligations to apply are:
- importing or supplying more than 25 tonnes of packaging to the UK market in the previous calendar year, and
- £1million minimum turnover.
You may need to collect and report packaging data, and there are financial implications to be met. For those above the thresholds, this blog brings insights into packaging compliance obligations.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) requirements are increasing the level of scrutiny placed on packaging data, and packaging is now becoming an area of growing regulatory, financial, and reputational risk if responsibilities are not fully understood.
Organisations are also finding the transition from previous producer responsibility requirements towards wider Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) requirements challenging due to increased reporting expectations, data requirements, and the need for greater accuracy in packaging information.
In our latest blog, we explore some of the key challenges businesses are facing, including identifying packaging obligations, obtaining accurate packaging data, and preparing for future regulatory developments around recyclability, labelling, and sustainability requirements.
The article also outlines practical first steps organisations can take to better understand their packaging compliance responsibilities, improve packaging data management, and prepare for evolving legislation and compliance requirements.
Read the full article on Arthian's website.
Additional Information
See also NetRegs's Packaging and Packaging Waste guidance.
Arthian, a member of NetRegs's Business Advisory Group, was formed through the merger of Mabbett and IKM. Read about the merger.
NetRegs: is a partnership of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), providing online guidance on environmental regulations and best practice for businesses in Northern Ireland and Scotland.
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