OVERVIEW

The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 applies to those who make, fill, sell or handle packaging or packaging materials. It aims to minimise the amount of waste packaging generated at source and ensure that packaging can be reused, recovered or recycled. Packaging being placed on the market is required to satisfy the essential requirements of fulfilling the national standards that implement the relevant harmonised standards; or fulfilling the national standards notified by the Commission to the United Kingdom as being compliant where there are no relevant harmonised standards. A company that handles more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year and has a turnover of more than two million pounds also needs to comply with the Producer Responsibility Obligations. To comply with these obligations a producer is obliged to either join a registered compliance scheme or register with the Environment Agency, or utilise the allocation method. Compliance with the producer responsibility obligation is demonstrated by acquiring evidence through the electronic Packaging Waste Recovery Notes issued electronically by accredited reprocessors who accept packaging waste and issue a note stating how much packaging waste they have recovered or recycled; or the electronic Packaging Waste Export Recovery Notes are issued electronically by accredited exporter when packaging waste is exported to approved reprocessors outside of the United Kingdom.

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• PACKAGING WASTE
• PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY OBLIGATIONS
• WHAT IS THE REQUIREMENT OF LAW?
• WHEN WILL THE LAW BECOME APPLICABLE TO YOU?
• WHEN WILL THE LAW NOT APPLY TO YOU?
• WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON’T OBEY THE LAW?
• WHAT DEFENCES ARE AVAILABLE IF THE LAW IS APPLICABLE?