Which companies are obligated ?

When companies meet both of the following criteria in the previous calendar year they need to register with their relevant UK authority (EA, SEPA, NIEA) and provide relevant packaging data before buying PRNs to prove their packaging waste recycling or recovery obligations.

1. Handled over 50 tonnes of packaging and supplied to UK markets.

2. Had a turnover in excess of £2 million in their last audited accounts.

 

How much is the obligated company responsible for?

Obligated companies need to pay a certain proportion of costs of recycling, the value of which depends on the activity they have carried out on packaging materials.

The total responsibility of packaging is 100% in the whole packaging chain. Different activities in the packaging chain will take different responsibility for a proportion. The whole packaging chain is mainly involved in the following parties, corresponding to different percentages of responsibility.

Manufacturer	a person who manufactures raw materials for packaging	6%
Converter	a person who uses/modifies packaging materials in the production or formation of packaging.	9%
Packer/Filler	a person who puts goods or products into packaging.	37%
Importer	a person who imports packaging or packaging materials into the UK. They have a rolled up obligation depending on the activities that took place before import.	/
Seller	a person who supplies packaging to the end user of that packaging.	48%
Service Provider	a person who supplies reusable packaging to a user of that packaging where the supply is made by hiring out or lending the packaging	85%