The Governments Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) has already been amended. First published in December 2024, the RAM underwent minor amendments to a few typos in February of this year, but has since been amended significantly in April.
Despite it stating that ´Updates from version 1 (December 2024) are noted in the text´ – only whole requirements that have been removed are highlighted. There are other minor changes (word/phrase additions and removals) that have also been made and that are not highlighted.
With the first submission deadline of October fast approaching many organisations will already have started their assessments. These will now need to be revisited. Read the Recyclability Assessment Methodology v1.1.
If your organisation is obligated to undertake these recyclability assessments, let us take the pain out of keeping up-to-date with all these changes. Our bespoke tools keep on top of everything for you.
The UK Government´s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations for packaging have introduced a requirement that from 1/1/25 Large Producers (those with a turnover of > £2 million and which supply more than 50T of packaging per annum) must conduct Recyclability Assessments for all packaging that becomes Household Packaging and report these assessments by 1/10/25.
The aim of the requirements is to shift the cost of managing packaging waste from the taxpayer to the producer and to make producers responsible for the full lifecycle of their packaging, from design through to end-of-life disposal or recycling.
How to do Recyclability Assessments for the Regulations?
The Recyclability Assessments must follow the specific Gov.uk Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM). The methodology requires that each packaging component is assessed through the life cycle stages of classification, collection, sortation, reprocessing and application and will be assigned a Red, Amber or Green rating. These ratings will be applied to the EPR fees to be paid by the producer, therefore encouraging producers to improve the recyclability of their packaging.
Red: means the item is challenging to recycle, often due to problematic materials or designs.
Amber: means the item is recyclable but may need specialised collection or reprocessing.
Green: means the item is widely recyclable within the UK’s current systems.
The RAM is complex and requires in depth knowledge of your packaging components, the materials used within them, their design and detailed specifications from your suppliers.
Need Help with Your Recyclability Assessments?
Watch our brief video on An Introduction to Extended Producer Responsibility and Recyclability Assessments
Watch our brief video on How to Define Household Packaging
Watch our brief video on How to Determine Packaging Components and Material Types
With our bespoke tools we can help you to: brief your teams on what is required; understand the guidance; follow the RAM; complete the Recyclability Assessments for all your components; and report to meet your compliance deadlines with Certitude.
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