Packaging Recycling Rules Will Be Delayed for a Year

The UK government has announced that upcoming packaging recycling rules will be delayed for a year due to economic strain.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules will shift the cost of managing packaging waste from councils and taxpayers to businesses. The rules are designed to encourage businesses to reduce costs by adopting more recyclable packaging formats.

The rules, originally scheduled for October 2024, will now not come into effect until 2025 after consultations with industry stakeholders.

The government has announced it plans to continue discussions with industry leaders to refine the scheme’s design.

Several industry bodies have advocated for the delay, including the Industry Council for Packaging the Environment (INCPEN) and the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow says the government is “determined” to transform the UK’s waste management to eliminate all avoidable waste by 2050.