Packaging Waste
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 sets out the current statutory framework for packaging waste including the packaging categories, the scope, pupose, producers obligated, and their core obligations and is separatley set out in Wikiwaste (link).
This page focuses on the recycling targets set for packaging waste and the current performance towards thsoe targets.
Context
The previous targets were set to meet the EU Directive 2018/852/EC [1] which set two primary targets:
- 65% of all packaging waste must be recycled by 2025
- 70% of all packaging waste must be recycled by 2030
These targets were then further broken down to material specific targets. The UK tagets were set for 2024 and 2030 to broadly align with these targets and were delivered through the PRN system.
The currnet approach will ultimately phase out the PRN system and the new targets and reporting of performance have been updated under the new system.
Packaging Waste Targets
The UK recycling targets [2] for material specific packaging are set out below alongside the current EU material specific targets[1].
Packaging Waste Targets (UK and Comparator EU Targets)
Material | 2025 UK Business Target (%) | 2025 EU Target (%) | 2026 UK Business Target (%) | 2027 UK Business Target (%) | 2030 EU Target (%) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aluminium | 61 | 50 | 62 | 63 | 60 | ||
Steel | 80 | 70 | 81 | 82 | 80 | ||
Paper & Card (incl. fibre-based composite material) | 75 | 75 | 77 | 79 | 85 | ||
Glass | 74 | 70 | 76 | 78 | 75 | ||
Plastic | 55 | 50 | 57 | 59 | 55 | ||
Wood | 45 | 25 | 46 | 47 | 30 |
- EU does not specify wider fibre composites as part of Paper & Cardboard per UK approach
- Previous UK targets on glass remelt vs glass generally are not split out in the current approach
Notes
- The recycling targets will ultimately determine the value of the PRN market (higher demand to meet higher recycling, driving up price)
- The modulated fees assoaciated with packaging in the current system are likley to be flexed to encourage different packaging materiasl to be used, which in turn will impact the amount put on the market and recycled and in turn the recycling percentage
Packaging Waste Recycling Performance
The recycling performance for packaging waste is currenlty reported by DEFRA[3] under two methodologies, as set out below.
Packaging Waste and Recycling UK 2024 - Methodology 1
Material | Arisings ('000tonnes) | Recycled ('000tonnes) | Recycling Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Metal | 784 | 536 | 68.4 |
of which Aluminium | 287 | 157 | 54.7 |
of which steel | 497 | 379 | 76.3 |
Paper & Card | 5.479 | 4,069 | 74.3 |
Glass | 2,678 | 1,759 | 65.7 |
Plastic | 2,265 | 1,154 | 51.0 |
Wood | 1,498 | 634 | 42.4 |
Other | 23 | 0 | 0.0 |
Total | 12,727 | 8,154 | 64.1 |
Notes
- The table is reproduced from table 4 in the DEFRA data[3]
- The packaging waste data comes from the National Packaging Waste Database and estimates the total packaging waste placed on the market
- This methodology is closest to the historical approach to reporting
- Comparing to the recycling targets for 2025 there are sevral percentage points of improvement required to meet the targest for all materials
- Other materials include cloth, cork, gel, hessian sacks and wax used as packaging
Packaging Waste and Recycling UK 2024 - Methodology 2
Material | Arisings ('000tonnes) | Recycled ('000tonnes) | Recycling Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Metal | 668 | 536 | 80.4 |
of which Aluminium | 229 | 157 | 68.5 |
of which steel | 438 | 379 | 86.6 |
Paper & Card | 4,709 | 4,069 | 86.4 |
Glass | 2,189 | 1,759 | 80.4 |
Plastic | 2,149 | 1,154 | 53.7 |
Wood | 1,106 | 634 | 57.3 |
Other | 23 | 0 | 0.0 |
Total | 10,844 | 8,154 | 75.2 |
Notes
- The table is reproduced from table 5 in the DEFRA data[3]
- This revised methodolgy has the same recycled tonnages as the above table, but uses packaging waste arisings data that is supplied by obligated companies unde the new pEPR regime
- The tonnage arisings are considerably lower in this methodolgy, giving rise to higher recycling rates
- The tonnages are likley to be lower due to a) only obligated companies being recorded ie smaller companies are not captured and b) under reporting by obligated companies as they became familar with the new system in the first year of recording
- In this approach, only plastic would not be already meeting the recycling targets set for 2025
