ExtendedClosed Producerloop Responsibilitypackaging forwaste: packaging:EPR closedfor loop recyclingpackaging

If youyou’re are a large producer reporting under EPR for packaging, youyou’ll will be able to offset the weight of ’closedclosed loop’loop packaging waste that you collect and recycle against the weight of household packaging you supply.

You’llTo submit closed haveloop topackaging contactwaste data, you must register for this as part of your regulatorannual andlarge payproducer aregistration chargefor EPR for packaging. ​An additional registration fee of £2,548 applies, paid at the same time as your standard large producer registration fee.

For 2027 registration (deadline 1 October 2026), you can use your organisation details CSV to doregister this.your intent to report closed loop packaging waste.

For more information about EPR for packaging, including who must report and what information they must collect and submit, check the EPR for packaging guidance.

What ‘closedclosed loop’loop packaging waste is

‘Closed-loop’Closed loop packaging waste is household packaging that meets certain conditions:

It must be:

• made of food-grade plastic packaging
• collected from the end user byby, or on behalf ofof, the same producer who supplied it
• recycled by a single reprocessor, in the UK or overseas
• recycled into food-grade plastic material or articles

What materials are used

Eligible closed loop packaging waste must be made from foodfood-grade grade plastic household packaging.

Examples include PET ready-meal trays.

Collection

To be eligible for the closed loop offset, the producer who supplied this packaging must also collect it from the consumer.

They can do this themselves or commission someone to do this on their behalf. The closed loop packaging waste must not be mixed with any other waste during the collection and transport.

Recycling process

The closed loop wastepackaging waste must go to a single accredited reprocessor or exporter.

The reprocessor or exporter must recycle the waste back into food-grade plastic material or articles.

What closed-loopclosed wasteloop packaging waste is eligible for offsetting

You can only report closed loop packaging that you supplied as filled packaging on or after 1 January 2024.

You must report this packaging in your packaging waste data for the appropriate period.

If you collected the packaging before 1 January 2025 and have already submitted data for that period, you can amend your data and resubmit it.

How to register for closed loop packaging waste

From July 2026, you can register your intent to submit closed loop packaging waste data as part of your 2027 large producer registration on the ’Report packaging data’ service. The legal deadline to register is 1 October 2026. 

To register, include ‘Yes’ in column 79 (closed_loop_registration) of your organisation details CSV. This column is optional - if you do not include it, or leave it blank, the system will default to ‘No’. 

The registration deadline is 1 October each year. 

We recommend you include your closed loop packaging waste registration in your initial registration submission. If you do not, you can resubmit your registration later to add it. 

If you are a compliance scheme operator (CSO), you can register member producers for closed loop packaging waste on their behalf. 

If you remove your closed loop packaging waste registration from your organisation details file, the fee will also be removed.

How to report or amend yourclosed loop data

You’ll report your closed loop recyclingpackaging waste data using the Report Packagingpackaging Datadata service.

For data from 2024 and 2025, youyou’ll will resubmit an amended figure for self-managed consumer waste.

For 2026 data,data thereonwards, willyou’ll bereport closed loop packaging waste data using a new reportingprocess. processFind out how to report packaging data.

How to enter closed loop data in Reportyour Packagingpackaging Data.file

When Detailsyou submit your packaging data file, you must follow specific rules for any rows that contain closed loop packaging waste data. 

Use ‘CLR’ as the packaging type code (packaging_type) for any row containing closed loop packaging waste data.

For CLR rows, you must set the packaging material (packaging_material) to ‘PL’ (​food-grade plastic only). CLR data cannot be reported for any other material type. 

The packaging class (packaging_class) must be ‘O1’ for CLR rows. No other packaging class code is valid for closed loop packaging waste data. 

Leave the following fields blank for CLR rows: 

• packaging activity (packaging_activity)
• from country (from_country)
• to country (to_country)
• recyclability assessment rating (ram_rag_rating) 

If your file does not meet these requirements, it will givennot be accepted and you’ll receive an error in 2026.your validation report.

When you must report your closed loop data

Reporting period	Deadline
January to June 2024	28 January 2026
July to December 2024	28 January 2026
January to June 2025	1 April 2026
July to December 2025	1 October 2026

Evidence you must supply

You must supply evidence that all the conditions that apply to closed loop recyclingpackaging waste have been met. You must get this evidence from an accredited reprocessor or exporter.

For example, you could obtain written confirmation from your reprocessor that outlines what percentage of material collected and sent to them was actually recycled. The reprocessor would have to show how they determined this value. You’d also need a documented process for validating the reprocessor’s figures.

What youyou’ll will pay to offset your household packaging

You willmust have to pay ana additionalregistration chargefee toof submit£2,548 closed-loop packaging data. This is a setyear annualto charge.submit Forclosed 2024,loop 2025packaging andwaste 2026 data the charge is £2,548.data.

ThereTo issubmit a2026 singledata, combinedproducers chargeshould foralso 2024have andpaid 2025a data.further Pay £2,548 by 28 January 20262026.

For 2027 data toonwards, coverregister boththrough years.

Ifyour organisation details youCSV wishas topart submitof datayour forlarge 2026,producer youregistration. mustYou pay anotherthe £2,548 chargeregistration beforefee at 28the Januarypoint 2026.

of registration. If you wishremove toyour submitclosed dataloop forregistration 2027,from youyour organisation details mustfile, paythe anotherfee chargewill beforealso 1be October 2026.removed.

For each year after that, youyou’ll will pay in October for data that is due to be submitted the following October.

You cannot submit closed loop packaging waste data if you dohave not payregistered thisand charge.paid the registration fee.

EmailFor 2024 and 2025 data, email your regulator for advice on how to pay:

• the Environment Agency (England): packagingproducers@environment-agency.gov.uk
• Natural Resources Wales: packaging@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk
• the Northern Ireland Environment Agency: packaging@daera-ni.gov.uk
• the Scottish Environment Protection Agency: producer.responsibility@sepa.org.uk

Include your organisation number in the email. You’ll get this number when you create your account to report packaging data.

Starting with your 2027 registration, you pay fees through the ’Report packaging data’ service as part of your large producer registration. You do not need to contact your regulator to pay.