​We are all consumers of packaging. Increasingly, consumers reaching for their favourite product on the supermarket shelf may be swayed by promising on-pack claims regarding packaging recyclability or recycled content inclusion. Done well, environmental claims indicate to the eco-conscious consumer that a certain product or its packaging may have preferen...

​The world is at a tipping point in tackling plastic waste, and countries are increasingly turning to sustainable solutions. While mechanical recycling has been the dominant method, it struggles with complex or contaminated plastics that often end up in landfills or incinerators. Chemical recycling, a technology that breaks plastics into their core compon...

​Latvia has amended its Natural Resource Tax by establishing a tax on plastics that are typically not recycled in Latvia. Starting from 1st October 2024, any taxable person responsible for packaging made entirely or partially of non-recyclable plastic (polymeric) materials will be subject to this tax. The tax was introduced in response to the European Uni...

​The How2Recycle (H2R) label, launched in 2012, is a voluntary labelling program designed to make recycling guidance simple and consistent across brands, helping consumers make informed choices. As recycling regulations and consumer expectations evolve, H2R recently introduced two new label types—How2Recycle Pro and How2Recycle Plus—to offer even clearer,...

​Whilst Canada is renowned for its Rocky Mountains, poutine, and grizzly bears, it has also gained international recognition for its commitment to product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR). Every two years, people gather at the Canadian Stewardship Conference to explore the latest in stewardship and EPR practices in Canada.This year, ...

The rise of packaging waste has become a significant environmental issue in Taiwan, with single use plastics and glass containers contributing heavily to landfills and pollution. In response, the Ministry of Environment has proposed the introduction of a 'Green Design Fee' for producers of plastic and glass packaging. The green fee system is an initiative...

​Approximately 85% of plastic packaging worldwide ends up in landfill rather than recycling. This is why EPR is so important, to make sure producers make more effort to ensure their packaging ends up in recycling. EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility. It is a policy approach where producers must take responsibility for their products throughout...

The US Plastics Pact is a voluntary initiative based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global commitment. This pact involves cooperation between businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to drive the transition towards a circular economy for plastics by reducing waste, improving recycling, and redesigning plastic packaging. Previously...

​In a world increasingly conscious of its environmental impact, everyday packaging has come under scrutiny. Australia, like many other nations, faces a crucial decision point. Data from the government-backed 2025 APCO targets indicate that, despite progress, Australia is not on track to meet its goals for sustainable packaging. A 2021 review further revea...

​The EU is in the process of significantly altering its packaging legislation, thanks to recently published laws including Directive 2024/825 Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition and the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and a large number of proposals including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the Green Claims Directive. W...

​Today, we delve into the pressing issue of PFAS, exploring their environmental impact, regulatory measures, and future implications in the United States. Join us as we uncover the complexities surrounding these chemicals and the efforts to address their impact on consumer products.Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often called 'forever chemical...

​Recycling stands out as a vital strategy to manage waste and to aid in the conservation of our resources. Within the spectrum of recycling methods, mechanical recycling is one of the most significant and most common. But what exactly is mechanical recycling, and how does it contribute to the bigger picture of sustainability?Mechanical recycling is the pr...

​Denmark is the one of the final countries in the EU to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. Whilst EPR does not officially come into force in Denmark until July 2025, companies are facing obligations from 2024. So this begs the question, is your company on top of these regulations?The EPR regulations in Denmark mean that any co...

​You may have heard of the term 'Recyclability Assessment' through various voluntary Green initiatives but have you realized this has been making its way into the EPR regulations? Let's delve deeper into what this means for your packaging obligations.What is a Recyclability Assessment?A Recyclability Assessment involves a thorough evaluation of packaging ...

​In an era where sustainability is not just a choice but a necessity, the push towards using recycled content in packaging is gaining more momentum. Industries worldwide are increasingly focusing on the circular economy model, which involves more and more countries introducing post-consumer recycled (PCR) content targets. PCR content refers to the portion...

​Last month, the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment consulted on the Draft Sustainable Packaging Management Act, which would provide the legal basis for introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging in Thailand. If passed into law, the new Draft Act would additionally create the legal basis for future regulations whi...

​As one of the biggest producer responsibility organisations (PROs) or schemes in Europe, Ecoembes is a leading player in the world of EPR. They are the main packaging scheme in Spain, and require producers who sell packaged products into Spain to report annually on multiple, different data points.At Lorax, we have studied this report for many years and h...

​In recent years, there has been intensified efforts to address the issue of plastic waste as governments across the world are attempting to close the loop. Through this push for effective waste management, chemical recycling has become a promising solution, offering a new approach to tackle the challenges posed by traditional plastic recycling methods. B...

​As Extended Producer Responsibility ('EPR') regulations evolve and expand, keeping track of the ever-evolving regulations and how they relate to your company is vital. To help you keep ahead of this moving landscape, we are introducing ENVI™ Lite, our Global Online Regulatory Portal, designed to be your ally in navigating the intricate web of packaging, ...

​If you are a producer of goods in Kenya, there is a crucial question you need to ask yourself: Have you registered your products and associated packaging in accordance with the latest environmental regulations? The passage of the plastic bag ban in 2017 and enactment last year of section 13 of the Sustainable Waste Management Act No. 31 of 2022 framework...

​Having been relatively stable for many years, EU packaging legislation is currently undergoing a number of significant changes. The EU is currently either considering or has recently passed proposals including the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), the Green Claims Directive and the Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Framework. In this b...

​At the end of 2023, the draft notice regarding the creation of a federal plastics registry was published in the Canada gazette for consultation. The Canadian government have stated that currently 4.4 million tonnes of plastic are thrown away annually, with only 9% currently recycled. The aim of the federal plastics registry would to be to allow the gover...

​From 13-19 November 2023, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) convened in Nairobi for the Third Session (INC-3) of negotiations on the development of an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. The INC, which was established by the United Nations Environment Assembly in 2022, aims to negotiate a new legally binding glo...

​The South Pacific Ocean is home to a diverse host of island nations that share many things from rich cultural traditions to a deep connection with nature. One thing they also have in common is the growing issue of marine pollution washing up on their shores.The capacity to manage domestic waste sustainably is a mutually growing problem in the region. It ...

​Maine is one of the first states to begin implementing packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. This law requires brands and packaging industry players to take financial responsibility for materials in the state's recycling system. Currently, four states are actively working to set up the operational framework for these programs.Main...

​On the 17th and 18th of October, Lorax EPI had the pleasure of attending the Sustainability in Packaging Europe conference, held in Barcelona. The conference is aimed at driving innovation in producing more sustainable packaging solutions as we move towards a circular economy. The conference included a series of different talks, panel discussions and wor...

​Junior Environmental Compliance Consultant Qin Audiawarman recently took part in a UN-sponsored packaging design project in Indonesia, in this blog we hear from Qin about the initiative, and look into why it is so important: 'I am thrilled to announce that I recently took a part in designing the packaging solution for Indonesia. This innovation was subm...

If you're a business owner in the UK selling packaged products, you're likely aware of the ongoing packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reform. The EPR reform introduces extra layers of complexity to the existing packaging policies. In this article, we're here to provide you with clear information to help you navigate it effectively. The funda...

​In our last blog, we covered the general concept of EPR. Its benefits for governments are clear, as it shifts the costs of waste management away from taxpayers onto the companies that profit from the products and packaging that end up in the waste stream. It should also encourage producers to consider the sustainability of their goods and packaging, de...

​Introducing a 5-part mini-blog series, dedicated to helping you understand what EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is, where it came from and how best to comply. As a business owner, you may be wondering how the new regulations on plastic packaging will affect your operations and costs. In this blog post, we will explain what Extended Producer Respon...

​So it might not be very wise to make your packaging out of actual gold… However, if you are looking to lower Extended Producer Responsibility costs and help reduce the amount of plastic we consume, then it could be worth adopting the 'Golden Design Rules' for your packaging.The Golden Design Rules were developed by the Consumer Goods Forum's 'Plastic Was...

Whilst navigating the complex world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) it can be overwhelming for the producer to keep up to date with legislative and reporting requirements. Lorax EPI are here to help!Following on from my blog post 'Why Data is King', keeping on top of your legal obligations for EPR reporting can be a challenge. The information th...

​Are you an exporter or a producer to Indonesian market? Be careful with your labelling making environmental claims because Indonesia has recently introduced a new eco-labelling criteria to promote environmentally sustainable practices across the country. The criteria, known as the SNI (Standar Nasional Indonesia or Indonesian National Standard) eco-label...

Post-consumer recycled (PCR) content is a term that refers to materials that have been used and then recovered from products that have been disposed of by consumers, such as plastic bottles, aluminium cans, and paper. These materials are then recycled and used to make new products. This is a topic that has been gaining significant traction in the United S...

​Big cities are where the highest concentration of population density is found, meaning they produce the majority of our pollution. However, this means they are the biggest source from whence we can reduce our environmental impact. They are hubs for education, innovation, culture, and sharing ideas. Explaining the concept of a circular economy and how to ...

​If you are reading this blog, you probably recognise the chasing arrows symbol from packaging that you interact with on a daily basis. However, you might not know what it means, or the history behind it. The symbol has actually become problematic for recycling, which is why we have started to see some governments legislating on the use of the symbol. The...

​The Scottish Government has announced a postponement of the launch date of their deposit return scheme from July 2022 to the 16th August 2023. All drinks in single-use containers made from PET plastic, glass, steel, or aluminium, sized between 50ml and 3 litres are covered in the scheme. A small deposit will be charged to customers for each beverage cont...

​As anyone who has tried to design a packaging solution that can be placed in multiple markets will know from bitter experience, European labelling legislation is complex and occasionally contradictory. Does the EU's proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation offer some hope for the future?At the moment, there are no mandatory EU-wide labelling re...

​Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging has seen rapid growth in the United States over the last 2 years. Four states have already passed EPR legislation, with seventeen more states having proposed EPR bills during their 2022 legislative sessions. The perspective of EPR in the United States is centred on the financials of waste management, t...

​Common misconceptions around the terms 'compostable / biodegradable / recyclable'. Sometimes when packaging says its 'environmentally friendly' or 'green', it's not all it's cracked up to be! We've put together a quick list of things to be aware of when you buy packaging that claims to be 'compostable', 'biodegradable' or 'recyclable', and some different...

​After much speculation and anticipation, the EU has released its proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, a revision to the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). One of the key changes within the proposal is a change in legal standing, turning it into a 'Regulation' and not a 'Directive'. This means that if implemented, the new regula...

​This year has been groundbreaking for extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation in the United States. On June 3rd this year, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 22-1355 into law, joining California, Oregon and Maine as the first four US states to pass this form of legislation.Colorado's EPR law affects producers of packaging and cert...

​Many countries around the world have established extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws; yet to companies new to this sector, it can often be unclear what data is necessary upon complying with these regulations. Each country's EPR system varies, meaning that there are different data requirements and obligations for each, alongside many differing rep...

​With increasing numbers of countries starting to mandate the use of recycled material in plastic packaging (see our previous blog for more details), where will we get enough recycled plastic from?Mechanical: using heat and shear to convert waste material into recycled material of the same type;Physical (or dissolution): using solvents or other chemicals ...

​Across the globe we are starting to see more movement on mandatory requirements being established for post-consumer recycled content (PCR) to be included in packaging. With the likes of Sweden and a handful of the US states already having mandatory requirements in place, will it be long until we see more countries implement these requirements? With the...

​The French producer responsibility organization for packaging, CITEO, released specific and thorough labelling guidance for their members at the end of last year, to help producers follow the less-detailed requirements of the law. As explained in a previous Lorax EPI blog from last year, the French law requires producers to include component pictograms (...

Maine's extended producer responsibility (EPR) bill, otherwise known as LD 1541, was signed into law by Governor Janet Mills on 12 July 2021. It was the first of its kind in the United States and, when it comes into force in 2026, it will establish a European-style producer responsibility system in Maine. This will mean that producers of packaging materia...

​For companies that are new to the world of environmental compliance, it can be difficult to know where to start. A number of countries both in Europe and across the world require you to report the amount of packaging, waste electronics (WEEE) and batteries that you place on the market, as part of extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws. There will be...

​EPR legislation, SB54 or the Plastic Producer Responsibility Act, was signed by Governor Newsom into law on 30th June 2022. The bill requires that businesses in California take responsibility to pay for the cost associated with the recovery of materials they sell in the state.SB54 passing has kept the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, a plastics fee ballo...

​We are now fast approaching the upcoming changes in Germany for anyone who places packaging onto the German market. If you are a producer/retailer who places packaging onto the German market then you will need to make sure you are compliant by 1 July 2022. If you are a producer/retailer who places electronic equipment or batteries onto the German market...

​The amount of plastic waste is increasing exponentially. One million plastic bottles are purchased each minute and five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. Of the seven billion tonnes of plastic produced each year, only 10% is recycled. Our planet is choking on plastic. This calls into question whether our current frameworks and legislat...

​EU waste framework directive (amended 2018) introduced the modulation of the financial contribution to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. This minimises waste packaging generation and incentivises the designs with better recyclability and sustainability. In other words, if your packaging is easier to be collected and recycled in the local i...

3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) have been brought up more regularly in countries' waste management policies. One of the key elements – 'Reuse', has been integrated into legislative requirements for packaging in some countries.There are three main types of requirements regarding reusable packaging:Mandatory targets for reusable packaging have been s...

​Whilst navigating the complex world of Extended Producer Responsibility it can be overwhelming for the Producer to know where to start. Lorax EPI are here to help! It starts with finding out if you are obligated to report by market; if you are obligated to report the next question is always, what data do you have? It allows you to record your packaging i...

​On 10 January 2022, the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment posted a new decree as part of the Law on Environmental Protection. This has given essential updates to aspects of the law with which many companies may find themselves needing to be compliant, as EPR regulations begin to come into force from 2024.The biggest change to t...

​To tackle the plastics waste pollution and establish a circular economy, the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has imposed mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility on Plastic packaging. The requirements were laid down in 'Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility for Plastic Packaging' published on 16th February 2022. It's ...

​In the United States, post-consumer recycled content (PCR) requirements for packaging are starting to be established by several state governments. These laws largely apply to plastics, but most packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) bills introduced this legislative session either include PCR requirements by material type, for all materials, or...

​It is the countdown for the beginning of the UK plastic packaging tax.Next month, on 1 April 2022, if you import or manufacture more than 10 tonnes of plastic packaging annually, you will be obligated to register with HMRC for the UK plastics packaging tax. The first accounting period will be from 1 April to 30 June, and the first tax return and payment ...

Lorax EPI would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year! With the new year comes new obligations. This blog explores some of the global environmental packaging legislation that came into effect on 1 January 2022.Labelling: France's mandatory labelling system has been updated to obligate use of the Triman logo on all packaging. Sorting instructions must be ...

​Extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Russia is governed by two main bodies: the Russian government and the Eurasian Economic Union, or EAEU. Member States of the EAEU include Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, and regulations made by this body affect all affiliated countries. The main EPR system in Russia is set by the Russian gove...

​The Middle East and Africa (MEA) have historically been smaller producers of waste. However, this is all beginning to change, as many areas within the region are beginning to rapidly urbanize and grow. In some of the higher income Middle Eastern countries, waste production per capita can be up to 2kg per day. In Sub-Saharan Africa, annual waste generatio...

Due to changes in French law, there are now even stricter regulations regarding the labels on packaging in France. As a result, the main producer responsibility organisation, CITEO, has published labelling guidelines for their members, showing the mandatory labels to be used.France is introducing new sorting labels, and part of this change expands the use...

​On the 8th of October 2021, Kenya became the 12th nation to join the Ellen Macarthur Foundation's Plastic Pact network by launching their own Plastic Pact. Led by Sustainable Inclusive Business Kenya (SIB-K), and receiving support from 26 organisations, Kenya's Plastic Pact (KPP) is an attempt to move Kenya towards a circular economy for plastic, reduce ...

With so much global focus on transitioning to a circular economy, the packaging industry continues to explore sustainable alternatives to typical virgin plastic resins. ​'Bio-plastics' and 'degradable plastics' have become a hot topic in packaging design lately. However, do you understand these concepts, and are you marking your packaging correctly?Bio-ba...

​In November 2020, South Africa passed new regulations to provide framework for implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations. According to the law, packaging producers must become financially responsible for the take-back of the packaging they place on the market.The regulations were then amended in January 2021 to extend the deadlines ...

​Countries around the world are considering the best way to fund waste management. It is becoming increasingly common for governments to believe that producers should finance the significant majority of the costs of waste management - but should this be through a plastics tax or extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees - and what's the difference?Some...

​Many companies are aware of the requirement to report their packaging waste to a compliance/stewardship scheme and pay for the costs incurred. But increasing numbers of countries also require producers to register with a national authority - and potentially report data or undergo period audits.​​In Europe, this requirement stems from the EU's Packaging ...

More than 450 organisations, representing 20% of all plastic packaging produced around the world, are now signed up for the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, voluntarily agreeing to increase the circularity for plastic waste and eliminate all problematic and unnecessary plastic items. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has a...

​​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.This blog focuses on Europe - where the concept of EPR first really took hold in the 1990s. The majority of European countries (whether or not members of the EU)...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Currently, EPR legislation in Latin America is in its early stages. Some countries have passed EPR framework, allowing for more formal regulations to be introduced...

Under a regulation from the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act of 2016, which was recently approved, producers of packaging and printed paper in Ontario will be required to assume full financial and operational responsibility for collecting, managing and financing designated materials, which up until now only required producers to contribute 50% f...

This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility​ (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Due to the uneven social and economic development in the Asia Pacific region (APAC), the EPR legislation progress in APAC presents a large variety. This post will ...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep-dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.At this time, minimal mandatory packaging EPR exists in Africa, though some countries are now entering the early stages of implementing such regulations. With Sout...

This article was updated on 11th August.On 12th July, Maine's governor signed a bill to establish a statewide packaging EPR program into law. Weeks later, on 6th August, a bill for packaging, printed paper and food service ware EPR passed into law in Oregon. This means that the first packaging extended producer responsibility schemes will soon come into f...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility​ (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Due to the uneven social and economic developments​​, the EPR legislation progress in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) presents a large variety. This post will give...

This article was updated on 26th August 2021.This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep-dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.When it comes to packaging EPR in North America, legislation tends to be regionally focused rather than nationally capt...

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) was first introduced ​in the 1990s.​ The main objectives of EPR legislation are typically to ensure that the cost of waste management is covered by the businesses that are producing the waste, and to incentivise good environmental design decisions.​ Packaging EPR is becoming ​increasingly common​ around the world, w...

​Virtually every EPR compliance scheme in the world requires some form of regular reporting - maybe only once a year, but potentially every month. Some reports are relatively simple, but others can be significantly more complicated. So what information do schemes want?At the most basic level, schemes need the same information:Number/type of product plac...

Lorax EPI is pleased to be involved in endorsing the position statement released by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation today (15th June) for packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).It has become clear that we need a circular economy for packaging materials in which they never become waste or litter in our environment. Packaging that cannot be elimina...

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, which was passed by the EU Commission in May 2019, enacts bans on certain single-use products, recycled content targets for some plastics and measures to reduce plastic food and beverage containers. It also requires Member States to ensure that national laws mandate new labels for sanitary towels, wet wipes, tobacco f...

​On 17 May 2021, the Governor of Washington State signed a bill into law which bans several expanded polystyrene items, mandates post-consumer recycled content in certain packaging and requires some producer reporting.By 1 April 2022 and annually thereafter, producers of plastic trash bags, plastic beverage containers and household cleaning and personal c...

​Per the Act on the Promotion and Saving and Recycling Resources, after the packaging recyclability evaluation, all packaging in South Korea needs to be labelled appropriately by December 2021. Here comes the question: What are the requirements of labelling?Separate Discharge Mark RequirementThe use of a separate discharge mark is mandatory for a list of ...

​Like many topics, the concept of extended producer responsibility comes with an often confusing range of acronyms and highly specific terminology. But what does it all mean? In this post, we look at some of the most frequently used terms and phrases.​Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)The concept of producers being responsible for the waste generate...

Last week, the Lorax EPI team gave a workshop on global packaging EPR developments as part of the Sustainability in Packaging US 2021 Conference. Our presenters took some time to investigate the true costs of packaging extended producer responsibility on a per-capita and per-product basis as well as discuss major changes in worldwide EPR programs that wil...

​What is Excessive packaging?Excessive packaging, namely over-packaging or unnecessary packaging, describes a product that is wrapped by multiple layers of material, which is unnecessary or unwanted by the customers. The purpose of these extra layers of packaging might be for the protection or decoration of products. However, they can be a waste of resou...

First developed in the 1990s in Germany, the Green Dot does not (as is commonly believed) indicate that packaging is recyclable. Instead, it indicates that its manufacturer has contributed financially towards the cost of waste management - see my previous blog​ for details of this and other commonly used signs and symbols. ​Several years ago, many countr...

On 15th March 2021, the New York Senate Majority passed its one-house budget resolution. While most of the proposal is focused on providing emergency aid to help the state recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it also includes initiatives that prioritise environmental justice and pollution reduction. Specifically, the Senate Majority one-house State Budget ...

​In many countries around the world, producers must pay levies on all product packaging and on the products they sell. These levies, or extended producer responsibility (EPR) funding, is to build infrastructure for collecting materials to be recycled.Packaging levies started in Germany in the early 1990s with der Grüne Punkt (or Green Dot) and quickly spr...

​France's 2020 Circular Economy law (the Loi AGEC) has resulted in many changes to their packaging, WEEE and batteries requirements - including substantial alterations to labelling regulations.Triman and sorting instructionsFrom 1 January 2022, the Triman logo will be obligatory on all household packaging except beverage glass (currently only mandatory fo...

Lorax EPI is dedicated to simplifying global sustainability. Brand owners, retailers, manufacturers, producers and other industry professionals rely on our in-house software and international team of consultants to comply with wide-ranging stewardship obligations, keep ahead of legislation and advance their sustainability goals. One of the main ways our c...

​Following a few months of silence, the UK government has now published more information about the plastics tax. So what do we know about it?Following the publication of draft legislation ​on November 12th, we now know that some things have changed from the proposal contained in ​the March consultation (covered in a previous blog post).​ Key details tha...

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme, launched the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment in October 2018. Signatories of the Commitment represent over one-fifth of all plastic packaging produced worldwide, and over 500 businesses, governments and industry organisations are united behind a common vision and ta...

​While many clients rely on Lorax EPI for our cloud-based EPR software to assist with legal product stewardship reporting obligations, we have been getting more and more inquiries for our environmental consulting services recently. EPR legislation differs from country to country (and sometimes province to province), making regulatory compliance a complex ...

​In the past five years, the European Commission has placed ever increasing emphasis on the need for the circularity of resources, and has published / amended a number of Directives to reflect this. ​In 2018, the European Council adopted the Circular Economy Package, which included amendments to the Waste Framework Directive (2018/851), the Landfill Direc...

In April 2018, the UK announced that it was establishing the world's first Plastics Pact as part of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy. The Pact is meant to bring together all key stakeholders to move towards a circular economy for plastics and plastic packaging in particular. In the last few weeks, two new national Pacts have been anno...

The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020 was first introduced to the US House of Representatives and the Senate on 11th February as SB 3263 and HB 5845. Then on 11th June, a related bill of the same name, SB 3944, was introduced to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.If passed, this latest bill would amend the...

​Countries around the world either have, or are implementing producer responsibility regulations for products including packaging, batteries, tyres, antifreeze and electronics. Obligated producers need to register either with a government agency (most often the country's Environment Agency) or a producer responsibility scheme - or both! But what's invol...

​At the beginning of 2020, France passed a comprehensive new law to amend its Environment Code (see our earlier blog for more details), which among many other things introduced new labelling requirements. Since then, a draft decree has also been published, which provides more details about what producers will need to do in future.​From 2021, any packagin...

South Korea's amendment decree of the Rules on the Packaging Materials and Packaging Methods will come into force by 1st July 2020, affecting producers and importers of small electronics and re-packaged products. The amendment comes after consultations in January 2019 regarding 'Measures Against Overpackaging', which are part of the implementation plan ...

The UK Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which leads the UK Plastics Pact, is collecting data by 26th June 2020 in order to track progress towards the Pact's established 2025 targets. Target 1: Eliminate problematic or unnecessary single-use packaging items.Target 2: All plastic packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable.Target 3: 70% ...

In recent months and years, we have seen countries around the world consider banning or taxing certain plastic products, such as bags, plates and straws (we have covered Italy​, Turkey​ and France in recent blog posts). However, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused many to question the safety of reusable alternatives, with some bans being postponed or over...

​On 26th May 2020, Repak, Ireland's packaging EPR regime, issued some updates to its 2020 reporting guidelines for its members. Key changes are as follows: Plastic Reporting CategoriesBeginning for Half 1 2020 data, plastic reporting categories will be divided into the following sections and subsections:PlasticRecycled rigid plasticRecycled flexible plast...

​Packaging, particularly plastic packaging, is often marked with a number of labels which the consumers may believe are linked to whether or not they can be recycled. Some are mandatory, others are optional, and some countries are changing the law around recycling labelling (see our earlier blog post​ on some of these changes).​ But do you know what som...

In 2018, Australia announced four new National Packaging Targets to be reached by 2025:100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging;70% of plastic packaging effectively recycled or composted;50% average recycled content in packaging; andPhase out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging.​The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation...

​The Lorax EPI blog has focused a lot in recent months on the steps being taken by governments around the world (e.g. in France, China, Turkey and South Korea) to reduce plastic and other packaging waste. However, manufacturers and NGOs are voluntarily making commitments of their own. We recently discussed the launch of the European Plastics Pact, but w...

​Lorax EPI's US Managing Director Victor Bell was scheduled to present at the 35th Annual World Petrochemical Conference last month in New Orleans. While the in-person event has been postponed until next year, Bell has recorded his presentation, Introduction to Policy and Infrastructure, and it is now available for distribution.Here is a look at some of t...

Like many other countries, especially in the EU, the Italian Parliament is currently considering a range of measures to establish a more environmentally friendly and sustainable system. In the same vein as the recent French bill on the circular economy (see our recent blog), the Italian Parliament is also considering a draft legislative decree to transpos...

Having been the world's main recipient of plastic waste for thirty years, China banned the import of most residential waste in 2017 (reducing imports from 581,000 metric tonnes in February 2017 to just 23,900 metric tonnes in February 2018). This has had a significant impact on other countries around the world, which are having to find alternative method...

​Since the beginning of 2020, there has been a trend around the world to update labelling schemes for packaging sorting instructions. These updated schemes simplify and harmonise countrywide sorting instructions, emphasise the importance of consumer education regarding recycling and highlight the need for a clean recycling stream.​​Some examples of update...

​The UK has launched a consultation on the finer details of its Plastic Packaging Tax, confirmed as going ahead in the Chancellor's Budget 2020 speech last week.​Some elements of the tax have been confirmed, and are not subject to consultation:The tax will be implemented from April 2022;It will be charged at a rate of £200 per tonne of plastic packaging m...

​Last week, the first regional Plastics Pact was launched in Europe. Governments and businesses from across the European Economic Area (EEA) have joined together to commit to reducing plastic waste and move towards creating a circular economy for plastics. Signatories of the European Plastics Pact commit to a number of shared goals, including:Designing a...

​​Eco-modulation is a concept which is being talked about (and implemented) increasingly frequently by governments and stewardship/EPR schemes. But what is it? At the most basic level, eco-modulation is the concept of penalising the use of materials that are less environmentally friendly, and rewarding the use of those which are better - for example, thr...

​Plastic is everywhere - in packaging, children's toys, furniture, and the houses we live in. The first fully synthetic plastic (Bakelite) was invented in 1907, and since then it has become a fundamental part of daily life in the Western world. Governments around the world are introducing legislation limiting or penalising its use (like ​Singapore, Chin...

Following an amendment to Turkey's Environmental Act (link in Turkish) that came into force on January 1, 2020, certain products are now subject to a Recycling Contribution Fee (GEKAP).The GEKAP has been introduced to help reduce waste, by obliging producers to pay a fee proportionate to the weight of the products they place on the market. Affected produ...

​France has just introduced extensive new legislation ​(link in French) on waste management and the circular economy (the concept of ​​​designing the economy to minimise waste and pollution and to keep resources in circulation). Among many other measures, the new legislation introduces additional EPR schemes for products including waste from food vendors,...

​China has recently published details of its plans to significantly reduce plastic pollution within five years. ​ The new legislation will introduce bans on ultra-thin plastic bags and the production and sale of disposable PS foam tableware. Other products that will be affected include plastic straws, disposable...

​The UK Government is trying again to get its Environment Bill passed into UK law.The Bill introduces a wide range of measures, including the establishment of a new Office for Environmental Protection, changes to the current system of producer responsibility and the ability to impose charges for single use plastic items (e.g. disposable cups) in addition ...

​Governments around the world are passing legislation restricting or banning the use of certain types or forms of plastic. Many more countries are discussing doing so, and there are several voluntary initiatives worldwide to supplement existing legislation. Many of the bans and initiatives which have been in place for a while have resulted in significan...

​The Republic of Korea has published an amendment ​to its Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling Resources (link in Korean), in reaction to China's ban on imports of foreign waste which has resulted in local waste collection companies refusing to collect certain types of refuse. As a result of the amendment, companies operating in Korea must underta...

​Did you know that new regulations on​ WEEE and packaging will come into effect in Singapore from 2020? The Resource Sustainability Act 2019 will affect companies operating in Singapore who produce or import electronic and electrical equipment (including batteries), as well as those who supply goods in packaging.​Obligated companies will need to register...

​On 20 June, the Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market surveillance and compliance of products, was published. The new legislation prohibits products from being placed on the market in the EU unless the producer has an economic operator established in the EU. The aim of the Regulation is to prevent free riders f...

The On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL)​ has launched a review of its labelling rules which will, for the first time, take into account the recycling infrastructure, in addition to developments in collections services. ​The new rules will take into account the sorting processes at Material Recycling Facilities (MRFs) and the likelihood of that material being r...

​Yesterday, the 'Proposed draft decree establishing goals of collection and recycling and associated packaging obligations' was published in Chile's Diario Oficial (official newspaper). The Draft Bill has been published for public consultation and would introduce the polluter pays principle alongside the hierarchy of waste management. Studies conducted by...

​Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a concept which is used globally. It is introduced into countries through legislation or in some cases, voluntary schemes. EPR has been well established in Europe for many years. PrincipleEPR is the principle that producers are obligated for end-of-life waste management of the products and/or packaging they plac...

​As always, the Edie Live conference at the National Exhibition Centre was full of interesting and topical talks and debates. The main themes included single-use plastics and how to reduce these in addition to the need for introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) so producers take on the cost and responsibility of packaging and packaging was...

The Singapore Packaging Agreement facilitates the National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore and industry to work together in reducing packaging waste. The agreement introduces the principle of product stewardship for the lifecycle management of packaging for consumer goods. In Singapore, packaging waste constitutes around a third of domestic waste. ...

​In Saudi Arabia, the Technical Regulation for Degradable Plastic Products applies to all disposable products manufactured from polypropylene and polyethylene plastics which are often used for a short time. The regulation stipulates that the products are oxo-degradable then bio-degradable, where plastic products used in the medical and food industries are...

​From May 1, 2019 WEEE scope is being extended to passive equipment such as cables, sockets, plugs, switches, aerials and busbars in Germany. The new rule is only of relevance to end-equipment designed for operation with a maximum alternating voltage (AC) of 1,000 volts or a maximum direct voltage (DC) of 1,500 volts. Passive devices belong to categories ...

​The Packaging innovations event was held by Easyfairs over the 27th and 28th February with a major focus on sustainability. The Ecopack stage provided talks from industry experts, made more relevant than ever with the release of consultations from the UK Government. The consultations cover a tax on plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content; a...

​EPR legislation have been proposed in both Washington State and Indiana. If the Bills are passed, producers in the states will become responsible for the end-of-life packaging waste created from the products they place on the market. Washington StateIn Washington State, the Senate Bill 5397 would make producers responsible for the design and management ...

In Hong Kong, a mandatory scheme has been introduced to create a circular economy for glass. This will provide practicable solutions for at source separation, collection logistics, proper treatment and recovery outlets for the waste glass material. The Promotion of Recycling and Proper Disposal (Product Container) (Amendment) Bill 2015​, which lays out th...

The UK Plastics Pact, brought about by WRAP, aims to create a circular economy for plastics. Through bringing together businesses from the entire plastics value chain with UK governments and NGOs, with the goal of overcoming plastic waste. Business members who are responsible for placing plastic packaging on the UK market are obligated to contribute a rep...

On 18th January, the Council of the European Union published the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment. The objective of this proposal is to prevent and reduce the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, in particular the aquatic e...

Following our last blog covering EPR updates in South America, we have more news to keep you up to speed. There has been further development in EPR legislation alongside many single-use plastic restrictions. In Brazil, we see the further development of the National Solid Waste Policy. A new Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 11186/2018 would make amendments to...

The French household packaging compliance scheme, Citeo, has announced updates to reporting for 2019 data which will be submitted in 2020. There are changes to the bonus and penalty system and a simplified return for the consumer sales unit statement which has been phased in over the past couple of years. For 2019 data, the tariffs for the sectoral decla...

In Germany, the new Packaging Act (VerpackG) came into effect on 1 January this year with more onerous obligations placed on companies with significantly more packaging that needs to be recycled. Obligated producers must have been registered with the new Central Office by 1 January through the packaging register LUCID or will face fines of up to 200,000 E...

Extended producer responsibility and general waste legislation has been developing continually in Latin America for a few years now. Here is a summary of the latest and most significant legislative updates. In Brazil, Law No. 8151 of 1​ November 2018 established the system of reverse logistics of packaging and packaging waste, within the scope of the Sta...

Today, 18th December, the UK Government has launched their long-awaited Resourses and Waste Strategy (RWS) as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan. In the Plan, the Government pledged to leave the environment in a better condition for the next generation, the RWS will be implemented to meet this commitment by becoming a world leader in using resources eff...

The Environment Audit Committee (EAC) is investigating the social and environmental impact of disposable fast fashion and the wider clothing industry. The inquiry is looking into how clothes can be recycled, and the waste and pollution reduced. On 27th November, the EAC questioned leading high street, luxury and online fashion retailers as part of their i...

Changes will be introduced for the Italian packaging scheme, Conai, from January 1st 2019. There will be diversification for polylaminated packaging suitable for containing liquids, such as containers used for fruit juices, milk and preserves. Compared to the environmental contribution for paper and cardboard packaging of €20.00 per ton, the additional c...

There have been changes announced by Finnish packaging scheme, Rinki, to their packaging declaration to be introduced from 1st January 2019, to be applied to 2018 data. These include exclusion of deposit packaging, separate reporting of conventional and biodegradable plastic packaging and more specific definitions for wooden packaging. Deposit packaging ...

On 24th October, the European Parliament voted to back an EU ban on throwaway plastics by 2021. Items such as plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks will be banned if approved by the Member States ministers at the next stage of talks. In addition, MEPs added oxo-plastics and certain polystyrenes to the to the ban proposed by the commission. Furthermore, ...

Following our webinar last month updating you on the plastic bans and EPR progress in South America, we have seen further proposed laws in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. Here's a quick summary of the latest news. In Argentina, two Chamber of Deputies Bills have been proposed. One would establish a program for the progres...

As someone completely new to the industry, I wasn't sure what to expect from the RWM Conference. In fact, there was such a wide range of topics and presenters that it gave a surprisingly accessible overview of the issues facing us at the moment, particularly when I was able to attend multiple talks and panels on similar themes. Wednesday's panels by John ...

Over the last year we have seen the devastating effects of plastic pollution in the oceans on marine life through entanglement and ingestion. However, there are additional threats which are not so visible on the macroscale. Microplastics and chemicals in plastics are posing a potentially increasing and often unknown risk in the natural environment. In thi...

This week, 24 – 30th September, is the UK's 15th annual recycle week. This year's theme is: ‘Recycling. We do. Because it matters.' which aims to encourage the public to recycle more, by demonstrating the benefits of recycling items from all around the home. This year, plastic and recycling is very much in the spotlight, this is a great opportunity for bu...

At RWM this year we heard from Costa Coffee on how they are making sure that plastic lined take away coffee cups are being recycled. This is big news right now, consumers are more aware than ever of the environmental impacts of plastic and are turning against items such as single use take away cups. The Environment Audit Committee proposed a latte levy an...

The majority of Lorax staff attended RWM Conference 2018 after such a positive experience in 2017. We heard from countless waste and resources experts, consultants, members of advisory committees, NGOs and an inspiring MP. Key themes of the conference included global extended producer responsibility, plastic packaging and pollution, the future of EPR and ...

Earlier this year, the French Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity Transition released their Circular Economy Roadmap (FREC) which is an operational transition from a linear ‘make, consume, throw' economic model to a circular model that integrates the entire product life cycle. This covers ecodesign, management of waste, consumption and reduction of wast...

In an effort to move away from conventional plastic packaging, compostable and biodegradable packaging is making advances in industry. Plastics can be made from fossil based or bio-based materials and both of these can be used to make durable, non-biodegradable plastics or plastics which biodegrade or compost. Companies such as Vegware, an Edinburgh based...

Following the airing of David Attenborough's Blue Planet II, awareness of the global plastics problem​ increased drastically and plastics have become demonised. According to research by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, in the past 50 years, plastic production has increased from 15 million tonnes in 1964 to 311 million tonnes in 2014 and is expected to doub...

​The EU Directive 94/62/EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste of 1994, as amended, lays down measures to prevent production of packaging waste, reuse of packaging, recycling and other forms of recovering packaging waste and therefore reducing the final disposal of such waste. The majority of Member States have implemented this through extended producer resp...

Extended producer responsibility Producers of packaging in Europe are obligated under the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive to cover the cost of collection and recycling of packaging waste. They do this by paying a fee for the weight of packaging they place on the market in each respective country. This fee is usually paid to a pack...

What is it?The Green Dot is a widely recognised symbol on packaging in many European Countries. The mark signifies that for that piece of packaging, a financial contribution has been paid to a national packaging recovery organisation, set up in accordance with the principles defined in the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62 and the res...

A report by the National Audit Office examined the packaging recycling obligations in the UK in response to a request from the Environmental Audit Committee. The report was published on 23 July and below summarises the key findings. The UK's Environment Audit Committee asked the National Audit Office to review the system due to concerns that it could b...

On 12th July, Recycle BC published their revised plan as the second phase of their steward consultation of the program. The program is the only residential packaging and paper product (PPP) program in Canada that is entirely financed and operated by producers. In 2017, 175,000 tonnes of the programs members' material were recovered, achieving a recovery r...

Plastic is the buzzword of the moment in both industry and with consumers. Industry is faced with a tide of regulations, policy and voluntary initiatives whilst consumers are becoming more aware than ever the effect their consumption is having on the environment and our planet, you only need to look at the Instagram hashtags and campaigns to see that cons...

Extended producer responsibility laws require producers to cover the cost of collection, recycling for the end of life of products they have placed on the market. However, some producers go above and beyond their responsibilities under the law to minimise their impact on the environment. These are just some of those industry heroes… IKEAIKEA have moved a...

The Environment and communications references committee has made many recommendations to the Australian government concerning the waste and recycling industry. Following evidence and comments from the industry, proposals have been submitted relating to the establishment of a circular economy; prioritisation of the waste hierarchy; the phasing out of petro...

On 14 June, the Official Journal of the European Union published the EU waste legislative package which includes amendments to the Directives on end-of-life vehicles; batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators; waste electrical and electronic equipment; landfill of waste; waste and packaging and packaging waste among others. These ame...

Under the provisions of the second transitory article of Law No 20,920, producers of certain priority products are obligated to report information to the Ministry of Environment. The submission date for products placed on the market last year is 31 August, under the Exempt Resolution No. 0409/2018 of the MMA. The obligation applies to producers of the fo...

On the 5th, 6th and 7th of June this year, the annual packaging waste and sustainability forum was held in Brussels. The days were filled with interesting talks from members of the European Commission, producers and retailers, industry representatives and producer responsibility organisations (PROs) who addressed topics such as the new EU recycling target...

Earlier this year, the Secretary of State for the Environment in the UK, Michael Gove, announced a reform of the current PRN system based on a consultation taking place later this year. Following this, there has been a lot of talk about modulated fees, which are already in place in the French and Italian packaging compliance schemes, CONAI and Citeo. Modu...

In July 2008, the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (Cap. 603) was enacted as an umbrella legislation to put in place the shared core elements of all producer responsibility schemes (PRS) in Hong Kong. It outlines the fundamental regulatory requirements in respect of individual types of product, including operational details in the Ordinance and its su...

On the 22nd and 23rd May, edie held their energy, sustainability and resource efficiency conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. Their theme this year was mission possible: achieving a sustainable future. The conference was packed with exhibitions, advice clinics and a live theatre programme which was split into four areas: sustainabil...

Our new website is launching today…May the 4th….which means our techy folk at Lorax Compliance thought it deserved a Star Wars themed unveiling. And what is more Star Wars than a lightsaber? Even humble Jedi should be aware of their environmental implications and as a product with a unique supply chain, lightsaber manufactures are often unsure of their ex...

EU BudgetOn 2nd May​​, the EU announces its budget for 2021 – 2027. The budget includes a section on modern sources of funding for the EU. On account of Brexit, there is a resulting net loss in the EU's budget and furthermore new EU priorities require new investment. The Commission has proposed to fund these through a combination of fresh money (80%), red...

On 26 April the Plastics Pact was announced with 40 businesses having signed up, it includes voluntary aims to drive up recycling of plastics and greater use of recycled plastic material. Furthermore, as Michael Gove unveiled the pact, he also confirmed there will be changes to the Packaging Recovery Notes (PRN) system. This is expected as part of the Res...

Lorax Compliance are attending Edie Live on 22-23 May, 2018, at the NEC in Birmingham. Edie Live aims to show you how to achieve a sustainable future. The event is tailor made to fit the needs of sustainability, energy and resource professionals. It offers seminars, workshops and advice clinics. At the event Lorax Compliance will be offering free 121 advi...

Maharashtra, India's second most populous state is banning certain types of disposable plastic. A plastic ban has been introduced in the state through the Maharashtra Plastic and polystyrene Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Store) Notification, 2018, which was published under the Maharashtra Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) A...

On 3 April, The Sao Paulo State environment agency (CETESB) issued Decision No. 076/2018/C establishing the integration of take-back requirements into the environmental permitting procedure. Manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers of certain products may only be issued environmental operation permits after compliance with take-back regulations ...

The Decree 79/2017, of 28 December 2017, approving the Regulation on the Extended Responsibility of Producers and Importers of Packaging, was approved by the Council of Ministers and came into force on 29th December 2017. The Regulation applies to all public and private entities, natural or legal persons engaged in the production, import and management of...

If you're used to reading our regular updates you will already be aware that the German Packaging Act is changing from January 2019. This short blog aims to give you the low down on some of the important changes that may affect you and what you need to prepare for in the next 8 months. ​​Registration requirement One of the changes that will affect produce...

Here at Lorax, in an effort to reduce our use of plastic, we took part in Plastikfasten. This involved aiming to give up or reduce the amount of plastic we use during the 40 days of Lent. As part of the challenge, we collected any plastic used in the office as well as collecting and weighing any plastic each of us used at home. When it comes to the weekly...

Today, the government has announced it will introduce a deposit return scheme in England for single use drinks containers, subject to a consultation later this year. The consultation will cover details of how the scheme would work, alongside other measures to increase recycling rates. Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: 'We can be in no doubt that pl...

On the 8th March, the European Parliament published amendments to the Cohesion policy and the circular economy draft opinion​. ​​​​​The amendments include numerous changes and several new paragraphs concerning implementation of the circular economy in Member States and the impact of China's new restrictions. The amendments bring​ a focus onto the need fo...

The Canada Stewardship Services Alliance (CSSA) is a packaging scheme which obligates producers, or stewards, in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan. These are legal obligations under the provincial packaging and printed paper (PPP) materials recycling regulations​. Stewards can be retailers, restaurants, importers, manufacturers, governm...

Fost Plus is a packaging compliance scheme in Belgium. There are different types of decarations depending on your company, sector and the type of packaging you bring to the market. Companies with a turnover below €15 million on the Belgium market for household packaging can make a lump-sum declaration. Companies that fulfil a number of conditions and brin...

Val-i-pac is a Belgian packaging compliance scheme which covers industrial packaging waste. Companies who produce less than 5 tonnes of packaging per year can submit a simplified declaration instead of the ordinary declaration. Any company that uses 10 tonnes or more of packaging while selling its products in Belgium has a legal obligation to submit a pre...

Rinki is the packaging compliance scheme in Finland. Only producers with an annual turnover exceeding €1 million are obligated. Recyclable plastic bottles, beverage cans and glass bottles have a deposit associated and hence aren't charged a recycling fee. Submission date: 28th February 2018 for annual report.Changes: From 1st January 2018, a new tonne-b...

Citeo, which was formed due to the merging of Ecoemballages and the paper scheme Ecofolio, is the packaging scheme in France covering household packaging only. The scheme applies bonuses and penalties for certain actions, for example, a bonus of 8% is rewarded for reduction of the weight of packaging, removal of black carbon dye in plastic packaging and r...

In the UK producers are obligated if their annual turnover exceeds £2 million and they handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging and/or packaging materials. In the UK, there are over 30 compliance schemes for packaging. A list of schemes is available here. ​Submission date: 28th February How does the UK system work? The UK works on a shared producer respon...

Ecoembes is a compliance scheme in Spain for household packaging. All packaging for households (primary, secondary and tertiary) must be reported, whereas commercial packaging is only reported voluntarily. Submission date: 28th February 2018 for annual reportThresholds: if producers place less than 8 tonnes of packaging on the Spanish market per year, the...

Cevko is a packaging scheme in Turkey which charges a fee per tonne for different packaging types. The scheme covers primary, secondary and tertiary packaging and there are no obligation thresholds - the first piece of packaging placed on the Turkish market is obligated. Submission date: 28th February for annual report.Upcoming changes: Turkey recently pu...

Repak is packaging scheme for primary, secondary and tertiary packaging in Ireland. ​Only 'major producers' with a turnover greater than €1 million who also place more than 10 tonnes of packaging on the Irish market per year are obligated to report​. Submission date: 21st February for bi-annual submission (1st July – 31st December data)Minimum membership ...

Recently the Government has been called upon to take action on our societies throw away habits, with plastic water bottles and disposable coffee cups in the spot light. Despite the readily available alternatives, recycling rates have stalled, and our behavioural habits are yet to change. A new scheme set up by industry body Water UK aims to offer free wat...

In Turkey, The Regulation on Packaging Waste Control was published in the country's official gazette on 27 December and took effect on 1 January 2018. The new regulation details new recycling targets, changes to EPR and will introduce a charge on plastic bags from 1st January 2019, prohibiting the distribution of free plastic bags. ​Under the revised regu...

On 18th December, the Estonian presidency reached a provisional agreement with representatives of the European Parliament on all four legislative proposals of the waste package. The revised circular economy package was presented by the European Commission on 3rd December 2015 with four waste legislative proposals of the waste package and an Action Plan in...

There is currently an array of changes occurring in South America in relation to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and recycling laws. Countries such as Brazil, Chile a​nd Argentina are catching up with Europe as many new EPR Bills are proposed. ​ArgentinaIn Argentina, a Bill has been proposed to modify the Integrated Management of Househ...

​Back in August Dual Systems, otherwise known as compliance schemes, Der Grüne Punkt, BellandVision and Interseroh released a statement to announce that they are terminating their clearing agreements. They stated that some systems are repeatedly failing to meet their obligations and that new clearing agreements ensure fair competition and an equitable tra...

Deposit return schemes add a small deposit on to the cost of drinks which is refunded to the consumer when the container is returned. Hence, the incentive for consumers to recycle their drinks containers is much greater. Containers, such as glass, can be refilled and other such as cans can be recycled, eliminating wastage of the containers. However, such ...

This week, 25th September to 1st October, is Recycle Week in the UK. This is the 14thannual recycling, this year with the theme of 'Recycling – It's Worth It!'. This week, organised by WRAP, aims to encourage the public to recycle more, by demonstrating the benefits of recycling from all around the home. Why recycle?Currently only 14% of plastic reaches r...

In 2016 there were two emergency ordinances in Romania. The first of these included producer changes where producers can now fulfil their obligations themselves by using any packaging waste existing on the market. Whereas previously, this could only be their own packaging. Hence, producers must prove the correct quantity was recycled corresponding to the ...

The RWM is an exhibition of four industry events – The Energy Event, The Renewables Event, The Water Event and RWM. Held in the National Exhibition Centre over 3 days, the event had six zones representing the Ene​rgy, Water and recycling and waste markets.RWM's Mission Statement:'RWM seeks to build a community for a resource-efficient future. We co...

As of 1st September 2017, certain previously voluntary regulations in Norway became mandatory. These changes and others, which will come into force on 1st January 2018, will effect producers and return companies. Changes for producersAs of 1st September 2017, certain previously voluntary regulations in Norway became mandatory. Producers now have re...

There's a wealth of knowledge about the negative effect plastic waste has on the environment. This blog seeks to uncover what the problems are and how governments and industry can stop it from getting worse. The problemRecently it seems that we have been overwhelmed with devastating facts and figures concerning the negative impact of plastic waste on our...

Obligations and reporting thresholds for packaging, WEEE and battery schemes vary from scheme to scheme and country to country. Obligation thresholds are more typically implemented through packaging waste legislation and reporting thresholds can be seen in p​​ackaging, WEEE and battery legislation. However, many countries have not implemented thresholds a...

​Éco Entreprises Quebec has released a statement to say that they are currently considering adding containers, packaging and printed matter ​​sold as short-lived products and those produced through the B2B trade to the designated materials classes. This change will contribute to their ongoing efforts to stabilise the materials rates. Background EEQ is a n...

Following on from our last blog CONAI: Plastic Packaging Reporting Changes here are the latest updates on packaging compliance in Italy and how you should be reporting for the remainder of 2017. We have outlined two major changes in the CONAI scheme and we now have further information on the details and reporting schedules required.As a refresher, CONAI w...

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a global issue and no longer contained in regulation within the EU. Latin America has recently seen a surge in EPR style legislation being implemented and many countries are in various stages of development of EPR regulations, Chile is no exception. Today's blog focusses on what you should be doing if you sell cer...

​​A standalone Amendment to the environmental protection product fee has been brought in effective from 1 January 2017. There are no major changes to the legislation, however it brings about clarification on a number of issues. Chain transactions The rules on chain transactions have been clarified. A change to the legislation last year meant that foreign ...

Across the world PRO organisations are available for companies to join in order to comply with their Extended Producer Responsibility reporting. Compliance schemes are membership organisations that register members with the relevant authority and ensure that companies meet their financial obligations under the different EPR directives. Some countries have...

The EU's focus on resource preservation and reuse has put manufacturers under increasing pressure over the past two decades to meet strict legislative requirements on environmental reporting. This has created a tricky path for producers to navigate as reporting requirements differ in each country. Depending on the size of your company, you could have come...

Sociedade Pontoverde, the Portuguese packaging compliance scheme, will only deal with household packaging waste from 1 January 2017. Packaging to be submitted will include packaging of fast moving consumer goods – primary, check out bags and multipacks.SPV will no longer manage secondary or tertiary packaging for the packaging of fast moving consumer good...

CONAI, the Italian packaging scheme, are making changes to their reporting requirements in 2017. The first amendment will be to diversify the environmental contribution for plastic packaging based upon the environmental impact it has. Plastic has been chosen as it is the most complex material in terms of variety of types, selection and recycling technolog...

If you are gearing up to submit your 2017 packaging waste report to RINKI in Finland please note that there have been some changes to the submission based on 2016 sales. The key changes are new fees and new reporting categories.New CategoriesThe form now includes some additional rows for plastic which are: plastic packaging for consumers, shopping bags fo...

​As we approach the holiday season, the last thing anyone wants to think about are Waste (packaging/WEEE/battery) submission deadlines coming up in the New Year. Compliance teams will be using the first few weeks back from the holidays to frantically collect together sales data, product data, materials and weights, as well as, remember what was done a yea...

​Did you know that Austria's waste management scheme Alstoff Recycling Austria (ARA) is changing its fees from the 1 January 2017? If you are a packaging producer in Austria, you may be affected.ARA rates also rose in 2016, however despite a significant downturn in the Austrian waste sector with cost increases of up to 13%, ARA implemented extensive cost ...

In June 2016 Ontario took a major step towards reforming waste management practices and policy. The Waste Free Ontario Bill outlines the framework for the transition to a new system. The system aims to divert more waste from landfills, create jobs and encourage innovation. The Act enshrines in law the obligation for decision makers to implement an expansi...

​Producer obligations for packaging waste in Romania are undergoing some changes. The Romanian Government has passed two Emergency Ordinances into law which are having a profound impact upon the waste sector. These Ordinances have not only expanded liability, but also introduced uncertainty for producers and waste management companies alike. The question ...

The new Slovakia Waste Management Act 79/2015 Coll.​ came into force in January 2016, with some provisions of the act valid from July 2016, to increase the separate collection and recycling of certain types of waste. The new act governs the entire waste management sector. The act covers electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and accumulator...

Last month our blogs focussed around disposable coffee cups and the amount of waste they produce in landfill, and in June we looked at the effect plastic packaging is having on our oceans. There is currently considerable publicity surrounding these topics and the media is quick to notice the environmental effects and their social issues. However, it's imp...

​Coffee Shops are everywhere now, meeting for a coffee at one of 16,500 shops in the UK is a social meeting activity that millions of us take part in every day. However, should people think again about that take-away cuppa and what happens to it after it is thrown away? James Gibbs explores reusability in a high profile waste sector. 50 Billion disp...

In recognition of World Oceans day 2016, this month's blog is dedicated to all things plastic and the environmental solutions we can all contribute to lessen the amount of plastic waste ending up in our oceans. Because there's no two ways about it, plastic is polluting the ocean. World Oceans Day on 8 June aimed to raise awareness of the impact that plast...

The EU's focus on resource preservation and reuse has put manufacturers under increasing pressure over the past two decades to meet strict legislative requirements on environmental reporting. However, the compliance process can be a tricky path to navigate – especially when reporting requirements differ in each country.Manufacturers across Europe have bee...

Are you aware of the penalties in place for non-compliance with producer responsibility legislation not just in the UK but across the EU?The Environment Agency today published information regarding Babz Media Ltd, who have been ordered to pay £45,500 in fines and £8,724.98 in costs for non-compliance with packaging, WEEE and batteries legislation. A first...