The illustrative fees have decreased across all materials when compared to the first set of illustrative base fees released in mid-August 2024. The size of the ranges has also decreased across all the materials (except for wood, which Defra has said represents less than 1% of packaging on the market).
The updated illustrative base fees are as follows:
Second release of illustrative pEPR base fees for 2025 to 2026 for all packaging materials
| Material | Lower (£ per tonne) | Intermediate (£ per tonne) | Higher (£ per tonne) |
| Aluminium | 320 | 405 | 605 |
| fibre-based composite | 355 | 450 | 565 |
| Glass | 110 | 175 | 215 |
| Paper and card | 135 | 190 | 250 |
| Plastic | 360 | 425 | 520 |
| Steel | 220 | 265 | 330 |
| Wood | 145 | 240 | 340 |
| Other | 180 | 205 | 240 |
Defra noted: “[The government] is in the process of calculating local authority costs to manage household packaging waste. As a result, the range of fees reflects the current range of scenarios being considered for these costs.”
The first version of the fees used estimated tonnages of packaging placed on the market by obligated producers – while this release is based on the most recent data submitted by large organisations into the Report Packaging Data online portal system.
The fees are calculated by dividing local authority packaging waste management costs (for household packaging waste) by the total amount of household packaging placed on the market.
Large organisations were required to submit their first round of data on 1 October 2023.
Defra will be hosting a webinar for stakeholders to ask in-depth questions, relay feedback, and receive details on further opportunities for engagement on 3 October 2024 from 11:30am to 12:30pm.
Packaging producers, particularly in the glass industry, have been vocal about their concerns surrounding the EPR base fees over the past month.
Executive director of the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Jacob Hayler, commented at the time of the initial release: “The announcement also provides much-needed clarity to obligated packaging producers to enable them to prepare for the introduction of charging from 2025 – helping to build a more complete picture of the economics of the new regime.”
The ESA told letsrecycle.com that “it anticipated that some of the fees would be revised down”.
To learn more about pEPR and the incoming changes, make sure you attend the EPR Conference on 14 November in London. See the growing agenda and book your tickets here.
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