The Packaging Waste Regulations

Recovery and recycling

The Packaging Waste Regulations were introduced in the UK in 1997 to meet the requirements of the European Directive on packaging and packaging waste. To achieve current targets the UK needs to recover about 4.6 million tonnes of packaging waste each year. This can be achieved through recycling, composting, or incineration (with energy recovery). To find out if your company is affected by the regulations, please visit Valpak's website.

To ensure packaging is recycling, the UK developed a system of tradable permits called Packaging Waste Recovery Notes or 'PRNs'. PRNs represent packaging that has been recycled. The idea is similar to the way that a cheque represents real money. Similarly, a PRN is accepted as representing a certain tonnage of recycled material. You only need to buy PRNs that show that a certain tonnage of packaging waste has been recycled. PRNs are issued by reprocessors, businesses either buy these directly themselves, or through a compliance scheme such as Valpak. Revenue from the PRNs is used to increase recycling in the UK.

The UK has set the following targets for 2008:

• Overall recovery 72%
• Recycling 92%

Consumer Information Obligations

The Consumer Information Obligations (CIO) were introduced as part of the Packaging Waste Regulations in March 2000. They require obligated businesses defined as 'sellers' to inform their customers about recycling. This covers both business to business sellers and business to consumer sellers. Information should be given on the following:

• where packaging can be taken to be recycled
• what the customer's role is in recycling
• the meaning of labels on packaging
• the relevant chapters on packaging in the national waste strategies

Valpak's CIO programme is run through this website! The recycle-more programme has been specifically designed around the requirements of the CIO, and complies with the packaging waste regulations on behalf of over 700 businesses, small and large.

The programme is also open to non-Valpak members, please click here to receive further information on this.