Defra publish final RAM for packaging EPR
Defra published the final, approved version of the RAM with associated user guidance on 23rd of December 2024 on Gov.uk
The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) is a methodology of how ‘household packaging’ and ‘packaging that is commonly placed in public bins’ placed on the UK market by large producers must be assessed for recyclability and how disposal fees will be subsequently modulated from year 2 of packaging EPR (pEPR) operation (2026 disposal fees, based on 2025 placed on market (POM) data).
Large producers are required to carry out the RAM on this packaging, to fulfil the recyclability assessment obligation large producers have within packaging EPR. Regulation 25 and 26 in the pEPR Regulations set out the recyclability assessment obligation for large producers.
Recyclability assessments using the RAM have been introduced to meet the core aims of pEPR, which are to increase recycling performance across the UK by incentivising the use of more widely collected and easier to recycle materials, to encourage more domestic reprocessing, whilst also increasing the quality of the resultant recyclate to feed back into a growingly circular system.
Access the RAM
RAM guidance: Recyclability assessment methodology: how to assess your packaging waste – use this for an overview of the RAM.
RAM guidance: How to assess and rate individual materials – use this to find Red, Amber or Green ratings for your packaging materials.
RAM guidance: Definitions and background – use this to understand the stages of recyclability and some technical terms.
Points of note from the final, approved RAM
The RAM has been developed collaboratively with stakeholders across the whole of the packaging value chain, such as Beyondly, to ensure it aligns with existing practice, infrastructure, and principles. You can read our earlier news stories and insights on previous RAM drafts published for stakeholder comment here: first RAM draft and second RAM draft.
To ensure continuous alignment with existing practice, infrastructure, and principles, the RAM will be reviewed and updated annually to reflect innovation, evolving market conditions, and regulatory changes. A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be established by UK Government to oversee the annual review of the RAM. Further information on appointing the TAC will be shared by UK Government in due course.
Support for our members
Beyondly will be producing resources to support our members with using the RAM and reporting outputs in POM data submissions, in due course. Further information and examples to support with RAM reporting is available for Beyondly packaging members on the Policy Insights area of the member portal.
We are here to support our members every step of the way during the pEPR reform, so if you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts with us, please contact your account manager or drop a line to our team on packaging@beyond.ly. We’ll be happy to discuss any issues you may have and how we can help.