Welcome to Policy News

 

The environmental landscape continues to evolve. Beyondly commit to being the route of action, keeping abreast of all future legislative change that will impact our customers. 

Preparing for the future. Together.

"The future of environmental policy continues to evolve, driving us towards a circular economy across the globe. I have the pleasure of working across the Beyondly team and our extensive member-base, to share information on these regulatory changes and developments, ensuring that our stakeholders are well-informed and can make decisions accordingly."

Emma Wilkinson, Regulatory Affairs Leader

Packaging EPR

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The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 are being reformed to a system of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The current producer responsibility system for packaging has operated since 1997, but it has never covered the full costs of the collection, sorting, and treatment of packaging waste.

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Packaging EPR ‘illustrative’ fees updated

Government published updated ‘illustrative’ packaging EPR (pEPR) disposal fee rates on Monday 30th of September 2024, since updating the calculation methodology and following industry engagement.
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Labelling temporarily removed from packaging EPR

Government have taken the decision to remove the packaging labelling provisions in the Main pEPR Statutory Instrument (SI).
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Textiles EPR on the Horizon

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that aims to ensure producers pay the full net costs associated with their products and packaging throughout their lifecycle. Textile waste is one of 5 other waste streams that the UK government have identified as a focus area for future implementation of the EPR system.
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Government publishes ‘illustrative’ disposal fee rates

The first iteration of ‘illustrative’ disposal fees has been published by Government today, 15th of August 2024.
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Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR) Draft Regulations published

On 1st of May 2024, the Draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 (commonly referred to as the 'Main pEPR Regulations) were notified to the European Union (EU) and World Trade Organisation.
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Extended Producer Responsibility - the perfect package

As seen in The Times, Beyondly share their expertise as an environmental compliance scheme and consultancy. "Brand-owners know what they want to do when it comes to being more sustaianable, but they struggle to ways to achieve it"
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Packaging EPR – Incentivising packaging recyclability through modulated fees!

Eco-modulation is an innovative environmental approach that involves incentivising or penalising businesses based on their choice of packaging materials, with the aim of encouraging environmentally responsible practices.
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EPR consultation launched on the draft Main EPR Regulations – have your say!

Defra have launched a consultation to gather views on how the approach set out in the Government’s consultation response of March 2022 has been reflected in these draft Main EPR Regulations

The UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 (as amended) is the primary legislation governing electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) in the UK. The government are looking to reform these regulations (WEEE Extended Producer Responsibility) to increase levels of separately collected WEEE for re-use and recycling, and to ensure that producers and distributors of electrical and electronic products finance the full net cost of collection and proper treatment of products that end up as waste.

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One week to go! WEEE consulation closes on the 7th March

Defra released a consultation and a call for evidence on December 28, 2023, about the amendment of The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013. The current WEEE regulations are being reformed by the government since they have been in effect for almost 18 years and have not significantly changed.
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Reforming the WEEE compliance system: a consultation and call for evidence published by Defra

On the 28th December 2023, Defra published and opened a consultation and a call for evidence on the reform of The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013.
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Research: Are WEEE Producers ready for eco-modulation and eco-design?

Beyondly conducts research ahead of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) reform to determine whether producers are ready for future implementation of eco-modulation and eco-design.

Textiles EPR

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Textiles EPR will establish separate textile collection systems at scale, ensuring dedicated, ongoing and sufficient funding is available to cover the net cost associated with managing all discarded textiles. 

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Textiles EPR on the Horizon

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that aims to ensure producers pay the full net costs associated with their products and packaging throughout their lifecycle. Textile waste is one of 5 other waste streams that the UK government have identified as a focus area for future implementation of the EPR system.
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Beyondly become Commercial Affiliate of WRAP's Textiles 2030

Textiles 2030 is the UK’s leading voluntary initiative created to support businesses within the fashion and textiles industry, transition to a more sustainable future, with circular practices in place by the end of the decade. As a commercial affiliate, Beyondly are committed to being a force for good in the textiles circular economy and achieve measurable impact against the targets.

Carbon & Energy Legislation

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ESOS & SECR exists to improve awareness of what impact large organisations have in relation to energy consumption and carbon emissions on the environment. 

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Environment Agency provide updated guidance to comply with ESOS

On 29th November, following a lengthy legislative process, the Environment Agency have provided updated guidance on the new requirements to comply with the energy savings opportunity scheme (ESOS) going forward.
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Introduction to UK Energy Act 2023 and detailed ESOS updates

The Energy Act 2023 was written into UK legislation on 26th October 2023. The Act targeted a wide range of areas relevant to the energy sector, marking this as an important step towards creating an extended framework for the UK energy system that should help to enable the UK Government’s goal to reach net-zero by 2050.
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BSI launch parallel consultations to ‘refocus’ ESOS

Two consultations launched to refocus the scheme to encompass both energy efficiency and net zero.
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Strengthening the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS): Government Response

Government publish their response to the consultation on strengthening ESOS - here's our summary

Simpler Recycling

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Simpler Recycling is a reform to the recycling system, intended to allow people across England to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school, putting an end to the confusion over what can and cannot be recycled in different parts of the country.

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Government have published a further two consultation responses for the Simpler Recycling scheme policy.

Last week the government published a further two consultation responses for the Simpler Recycling scheme policy.
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Defra announce 'Simpler Recycling' plans

On the 21st of October 2023 Defra announced that they are making changes to household and business bin collections and becoming more stringent on unscrupulous waste carriers to boost recycling rates and ensure waste ends up where it’s supposed to be.

Deposit Return Schemes

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A Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drink containers will be introduced in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in October 2027. Since waste management is a devolved policy area, it is the responsibility of each nation of the UK to decide the scope of its own DRS in a way that fits its policy needs.

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Delay: Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK is delayed until October 2027

On 25th of April 2024, in a written ministerial statement the UK Government announced that the DRS for drinks containers due to be rolled out across the UK, has been delayed until October 2027.
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Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers: A year until Scotland’s DRS goes live – how this will work & where are the rest of the UK in comparison?

With one year to go until the Scottish DRS goes live, get up to speed on how it will work!
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UK supports the adoption of a mandate to tackle plastic pollution

This would be the first agreement focussed around tackling plastic pollution
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Scotland re-confirm timeline for Deposit Return Scheme (DRS)

The new proposed start date for Scotland’s DRS is 16th August 2023...here's the full timeline
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Scottish Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) delayed

The Scottish Government today confirmed a long-suspected delay to their Deposit Return Scheme
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Long awaited enactment of the UK’s Environment Bill announced

Yesterday (9 November), parliament passed the Environment Bill, making the legislation UK law

Autumn Budget and update to the finance bill, what you need to know!

Key takeaways of the Autumn budget and finance bill, relating to the Resource and Waste Strategy

Digital Product Passports

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A digital product passport (DPP) is a digital record of a physical product, containing a structured collection of product related data throughout its lifecycle, containing information around raw materials, manufacturing processes, usage data, repair history and recyclability. The European Union (EU) is moving forward with mandatory DPPs for certain products categories by 2027, starting with batteries, and possibly electricals and apparel.

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Looking Ahead: Digital Product Passports

The European Union (EU) is moving forward with mandatory DPPs for certain products categories by 2027, starting with batteries, and possibly electricals and apparel. By 2030, the EU aims to expand DPPs to around 30 product categories.

Our policy experts

Emma Wilkinson
Regulatory Affairs Leader

Liz Wood
Sustainability Manager & Principal Consultant

Rob Lewis
International Service Leader

Michael Jennings
Environmental Customer Support