Table of Contents
- Why Recyclability Lowers EPR Fees
- Core Design Principles
- Material Selection
- Colour Choices
- Labels and Printing
- Closures and Accessories
- Design Checklist
- Key Takeaways
Key Takeaways
- Recyclable packaging attracts lower EPR fees — designing for recyclability directly reduces your compliance costs.
- Mono-material packaging is always preferred — using a single material type makes recycling easier and cheaper.
- Avoid black plastic, PVC, and multi-layer laminates — these attract the highest fees and cannot be recycled through standard systems.
- Use clear or natural colours for plastic packaging — dark colours interfere with sorting equipment.
- Match label material to container material — a PP label on a PP container is easier to recycle than a PVC sleeve on a PET bottle.
Why Recyclability Lowers EPR Fees
Under the UK’s EPR modulated fee structure, the fee you pay per tonne of packaging depends on how easily that packaging can be recycled. The more recyclable your packaging, the lower your fee rate.
The fee differentials are meaningful:
| Packaging Characteristic | Fee Impact (approx.) |
|---|---|
| Widely recyclable plastic | £340/t |
| Recyclable with limited collection | £360/t |
| Difficult to recycle | £420/t |
| Not recyclable | £461/t |
For a business handling 200 tonnes of plastic packaging, the difference between “widely recyclable” and “not recyclable” is approximately £24,000 per year.
Designing packaging for recyclability is not just an environmental choice — it is a financial one.
For EPR fee details, see the EPR fees by material type guide.
Core Design Principles
1. Use Mono-Materials
A packaging item made from a single material is the easiest to recycle. Multi-material items must either be separated by the consumer or sent to specialist facilities.
Good: A PP tub with a PP lid Better than: A PP tub with a PET lid Worst: A PP tub with an inseparable aluminium layer
2. Ensure Separability
When multi-material is unavoidable, ensure components can be easily separated by the consumer:
- Snap-off lids
- Peel-away labels
- Pop-out windows
- Removable sleeves
3. Avoid Contaminants
Certain materials contaminate recycling streams:
- PVC in PET recycling
- Black plastic in any stream (undetectable by NIR)
- Metalised coatings on paper
- Silicone sealants on glass
4. Design for Collection
Packaging needs to be compatible with UK kerbside collection systems:
- Rigid plastics are widely collected
- Films are collected through front-of-store schemes (not kerbside in most areas)
- Composite packaging often has no collection route
Material Selection
Best Choices for Recyclability
| Material | Recyclability | EPR Fee Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear PET | Excellent | Lowest plastic rate | Widely recycled |
| Natural HDPE | Excellent | Lowest plastic rate | Widely recycled |
| PP | Good | Low-moderate rate | Widely recycled |
| Corrugated card | Excellent | Lowest rate (£215/t) | Widely recycled |
| Steel | Excellent | Low rate (£210/t) | Magnetic separation |
| Aluminium | Excellent | Moderate rate (£230/t) | Eddy current separation |
| Glass | Excellent | Lowest rate (£192/t) | Infinitely recyclable |
Materials to Avoid
| Material | Problem | EPR Fee Impact |
|---|---|---|
| PVC | Contaminates PET recycling | High rate |
| Black plastic | Undetectable by NIR sorters | Highest rate |
| EPS (polystyrene foam) | Limited recycling infrastructure | High rate |
| Multi-layer laminates | Cannot be separated for recycling | Highest rate |
| Metalised film | Disrupts paper and plastic recycling | High rate |
Colour Choices
Colour significantly affects packaging recyclability and therefore EPR fees:
Plastic Colour Guide
| Colour | Recyclability | EPR Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Clear/transparent | Best — highest value recyclate | Lowest fees |
| Natural/translucent | Excellent | Lowest fees |
| White | Good | Low fees |
| Light colours (blue, green) | Good | Low-moderate fees |
| Dark colours (but not black) | Moderate | Moderate fees |
| Black (carbon black pigment) | Cannot be sorted by NIR | Highest fees |
The black plastic problem: Most recycling facilities use Near-Infrared (NIR) sensors to sort plastic by polymer type. Carbon black pigment absorbs NIR light, making the plastic invisible to sorting equipment. Black packaging goes straight to residual waste.
Solution: If you need dark packaging, use detectable black pigments (available from specialist suppliers) or switch to dark grey or dark green.
Labels and Printing
Label Material
The label material should ideally match the container material:
| Container | Best Label | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| PET bottle | Paper (wash-off) or PET | PVC shrink sleeve |
| HDPE bottle | Direct print or PE | PVC sleeve |
| PP tub | PP label | PVC label |
| Glass | Paper | Ceramic print (non-removable) |
| Card box | Direct print | Laminated labels |
Adhesives
Use adhesives that are compatible with recycling:
- Water-soluble adhesives — for paper labels on glass and plastic
- Alkali-soluble adhesives — compatible with PET recycling
- Avoid permanent adhesives — that leave residue on recyclate
Inks
- Water-based inks are preferred over solvent-based
- Heavy metal-free inks are required under packaging regulations
- Minimise ink coverage — heavily printed packaging can contaminate recyclate
Closures and Accessories
Caps and Lids
- Use PP caps on PP containers (same material)
- Use PE caps on PET bottles — they are separated by density during recycling
- Attach caps to containers — from 2024, tethered cap regulations require certain caps to stay attached
- Avoid metal springs in plastic triggers (mixed material)
Seals and Bands
- Minimise tamper-evident bands — use the smallest practical size
- Avoid PVC shrink bands — use PE or PP alternatives
- Induction seals (aluminium foil) are acceptable as they are separated during recycling
Dispensing Mechanisms
- Pump dispensers and trigger sprays are multi-material and difficult to recycle
- Where possible, use simple pour spouts or screw caps
- If pumps are needed, design for easy removal by the consumer
Design Checklist
Use this checklist when designing or reviewing packaging:
- Is the packaging mono-material? If not, can components be easily separated?
- Is the primary material widely recyclable in the UK?
- Are plastic components clear, natural, or light-coloured (not black)?
- Do labels match the container material or use wash-off adhesive?
- Are closures the same or compatible polymer as the container?
- Is the packaging free from PVC components?
- Is the packaging free from metalised coatings?
- Does the design minimise total packaging weight?
- Is the packaging compatible with UK kerbside collection?
- Does the packaging meet OPRL labelling guidance?
Getting Started
- Audit your current packaging against the recyclability criteria
- Identify non-recyclable items — these are your cost hot spots
- Brief your packaging designers on recyclability requirements
- Request recyclability assessments from your packaging supplier
- Track fee savings as you transition to recyclable designs
For more on reducing EPR costs, see how to reduce EPR costs. Use the EPR fee calculator and visit our pricing page.