Defra releases packaging EPR illustrative base fees

Defra releases initial pEPR base fees

The long-awaited information on illustrative EPR base fees for the household waste management charge has been published by Defra.

Publication of the illustrative EPR base fees is a significant step and an indication that the Government is committed to introducing the EPR Packaging Regulations in 2025.

What are the fees for?

Under packaging EPR, the cost of collection, sorting and recycling of household packaging waste undertaken by local authorities will be passed to producers of household packaging.

The costs will be collected as fees by the Government’s Scheme Administrator and will be separate to and additional to the costs of environment agency registration fees and costs associated with meeting packaging recycling targets e.g. through the purchase of Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRNs).

Why are the fees ‘illustrative’?

Producers have been asking for data on these new costs to assist them with planning and budgeting for the future.

These illustrative EPR base fees are based on the best available information to date and are not final figures. Defra advises that while these illustrative base fees can help industry with “early preparedness”, the figures are still subject to “significant uncertainty” and will change in the future.

Government intends to publish refined figures in September 2024 – with potential further revisions thereafter.

Table 1: Illustrative EPR for packaging base fees rates for 2025/26 for all packaging except glass

Table 2: Illustrative EPR for packaging base fees rates for 2025/26 for glass packaging

When will the fees apply?

Fees will be incurred from 1 April each year, based on packaging supplied by registered producers for the preceding year.

The first fees (for the year 2025/26) are expected to be charged to producers by the Scheme Administrator in summer 2025.

Modulated fees to be introduced from 2026

From year 2 of EPR, fees will be modulated to ensure packaging materials that have a lower environmental impact will be the least expensive for producers to use. By introducing a modulated fee structure into the market, the use of unsustainable packaging materials will decrease, serving to reduce waste going to landfill and to reduce CO2 emissions.

The types of packaging which will be subject to higher or lower (“modulated”) fees from Year 2, and the consequential sub-categories of packaging that would need to be reported in 2025 will be released in Autumn 2024.

Defra pEPR base fees WEBINAR

Date: Tuesday 20^th August

Time: 2pm – 3pm

How to Join: please save this link to your calendar and join at 2pm on Tuesday 20^th August.

ERP are here to help

ERP’s Compliance Team are reviewing the details of the announcement and will be contacting members with more information. In addition we will run member webinars to explain the illustrative fees and how to assess them for your company.

Related services

Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging: ERP UK is an expert in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). If you have you been directly affected by the UK’s EPR reforms – we can help!

Visit our EPR webpage for further details

Packaging compliance: Our packaging compliance scheme simplifies all aspects of environmental compliance for companies handling packaging. Our solution helps you to accurately collect and submit your data as well as ensure that the amount of recycling you are responsible for is achieved.

Visit our packaging webpage for further details

Contact us:

Member Services contact email: ukcompliance@erp-recycling.org

Telephone: +44 (0)20 3142 6452 (Option 5)

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