Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 SI 871

The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) regulations implement the EU directive on packaging and packaging waste, to make packaging producers responsible for recovering and recycling waste packaging.

The regulations apply in England, Scotland and Wales.

In Northern Ireland the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 SR 198 closely mirror these regulations.

What are the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations?

The regulations require producers of packaging waste in England, Scotland and Wales to contribute towards recovering and recycling a proportion of the packaging produced.

Who do the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations affect?

The regulations apply to businesses that produce packaging and:

have an annual turnover of more than £2million
produced or handled packaging weighing over 50 tonnes in the previous year.

What do you have to do?

If you meet these criteria, you must comply with the regulations.

See our guidance on:

How are the regulations enforced?

The Environment Agency (England and Wales) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) monitor the compliance of operators and keep a public register of information relating to this regulation.

If you do not comply with your registration, recovery or recycling obligations under these regulations, or intentionally delay, mislead or obstruct an investigation by your environmental regulator, you could face heavy fines.

Further information