Closed loop packaging waste: EPR for packaging

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

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For 2027 registration (deadline 1 October 2026), you can use your organisation details CSV.CSV to register 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 report,submit, check the EPR for packaging guidance.

What closed loop packaging waste is

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 by, or on behalf of, 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 food-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 packaging 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 loop 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 reportedsubmitted data for that period, you can amend your data and resubmit it.

How to register for closed loop packaging waste

For 2027 dataFrom onwards,July 2026, you mustcan notifyregister the regulator of your intentionintent toto submit closed report closed loop packaging waste data.data You do this as part of your 2027 large producer registration foron thethe ’Report relevant submission year.

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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’.‘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.behalf. 

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How to report or amend closed loop data

You’ll report your closed loop packaging waste data using the Report packaging data service.

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

For 2026 data onwards, you’ll report closed loop packaging waste data using a new process. Find out how to report packaging data.

How to reportenter closed loop packaging waste data in your packaging file

When you 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’ (plastic).(​food-grade Youplastic cannotonly). report 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 CSV file does not meet these requirements, it will not be accepted and you’ll receive an error in your validation report.

When you must report your closed loop data

Reporting period	Deadline
1 January to 30 June 2024	28 January 2026
1 July to 31 December 2024	28 January 2026
1 January to 30 June 2025	1 April 2026
1 July to 31 December 2025	1 April 2026
1 January to 30 June 2026	1 October 2026

Evidence you must supply

You must supply evidence that all the conditions that apply to closed loop packaging 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 you’ll pay to offset your household packaging

You must pay a registration fee of £2,548 a year to reportsubmit closed loop packaging waste data.

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For 2027 data onwards, register through your organisation details CSV as part of your large producer registrationregistration. for 2027. The deadline for this is 1 October 2026. You pay the £2,548 registration fee at the point of registration. If you remove your closed loop registration beforefrom theyour organisation details deadline,file, the fee will also be removed.

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For 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.

For 2027 dataStarting onwards,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.