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EC Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62/EC

Packaging legislation is driven by the Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive (94/62/EC) - 'The Packaging Directive' – which is concerned with minimising the creation of packaging waste material and promotes energy recovery, re-use and recycling of packaging.  In the UK this is implemented through the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 and the Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended).  Responsibility for these is split between the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Trade and Industry (Department, Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR)).

Detailed information can be found on our background pages: Packaging in the European Union and Packaging in the UK

1. Latest Information

• March 2007 : The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007 No. 871) came into force on 16 March 2007. These replace all earlier iterations. Details of the Explantory Memorandum can be found here.

• January 2007: Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations – government guidance notes 2007 have been published.  This replaces the May 2004 guidance (URN 05/713).  Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations - government guidance notes 2007

• December 2006: The European Commission have published their report on the implementation of Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste and its impacts on the environment, as well as on the functioning of the internal market. EC Report on the implementation of Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive & its impacts on the EnvironmentEC Implementation Report on Packaging & Packaging Waste Directive and its impacts on the Environment - Annex

• July 2006 : An existing derogation - due to expire on 30 June 2006 for glass packaging in relation to the heavy metal content was extended indefinately by Commission Decision 2006/340/EC and its provisions were transposed into UK law by the Packaging (Essential Requirements Amendment) Regulations 2006. These came into effect on 1 July 2006. Commission Decision Amendment for glass packaging SI 2006 No 1492 - Packaging essential requirements (amendment) regulations 2006

• January 2006: Defra have produced a Packaging Waste Booklet 2006 which provides an overview of Regulations. Producer responsibility obligations - packaging waste regulations 2005

Consultations

There are currently no Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform consultations in this area. Details of new consultations will appear here.

For information on Defra's current and past consultations please go to http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/packaging

Further information

Envirowise and NetRegs provides:

• government advice to business on packaging both Producer Responsibility and Essential Requirements Regulations (including advice on reducing packaging, minimising the cost burden of producer responsibility obligations and complying with the essential requirements).

Department, Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (contact details below) deals with

• single market aspects of the EC Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive;
• EU negotiations (including Article 21 Committee);
• The UK's domestic Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations 2003 (as amended) and government guidance notes. (The Trading Standards Office enforces these on behalf of the BERR, considering any complaints of ‘excessive’ packaging).

Contact:

Peter Askew
Eco-design and Product Regulation Unit
Office of Science and Technology
Department of Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR)
Bay 280, 151 Buckingham Palace Road
London SW1W 9SS
Tel. + 44 (0)20 7215 3794
Fax. + 44 (0)020 7215 1340
E-mail: peter.askew@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Defra (contact details below) deals with:

• The Producer Responsibility Regulations 2007;
• All remaining aspects of domestic implementation of the Packaging Directive - including the setting of recycling and recovery targets;
• Wider waste policy, including the UK Waste Strategy 2007

Contact:

Ian Atkinson
Producer Responsibility Unit, Zone 6/F5
Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street
London SW1E 6DE
Tel. +44 (0)20 7082  8755
Fax. +44 (0)20 7082 8764
E-mail: ian.atkinson@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Other sources of information:

European Commission - Packaging Waste website providing latest developments and historic information on packaging legislation for the European Union.
Europen (The European Organisation for Packaging and the Environment) - Information on CEN Standards on Packaging for demonstrating compliance with the essential requirements
LACORS (Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services) - Advice on the Packaging Essential Requirements
WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Plan) - Research into markets, technology innovation fund, best in class standards, and collection of recyclable packaging materials