The UK’s largest compliance scheme, Valpak by Reconomy, has welcomed the Environment Agency (EA) announcement outlining its position around pEPR recyclability assessment reporting. The EA has confirmed that it will not undertake enforcement action against producers that struggle to submit pEPR recyclability assessments by the half year deadline, providing they report in time for the full year deadline.
George Atkinson, Director of Policy at Valpak, said: “This decision will make a huge difference to obligated businesses in England, which face a major reporting task. Valpak’s pEPR tools show that requirements have risen by 115 per cent compared to the previous system. Even with rapid online tools and automatic checks, the scale and urgency of demand is challenging for some. This timeline affords industry vital additional time, without disrupting PackUK's envisaged timeline for applying eco-modulation across FY2026/27.”
Under the data reporting system for pEPR, producers must classify their packaging materials in line with the Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM). The RAM assesses the compatibility of packaging with waste collection, sortation and reprocessing infrastructure. This information will then be used to inform eco-modulation, which will see non-recyclable materials charged at a higher rate than those which can easily be recycled with current infrastructure.
To read the Environment Agency announcement in full, visit: Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) recyclability assessment obligations: RPS 350 - GOV.UK