Compliance Scheme
An approved organisation that manages EPR obligations on behalf of obligated producers, handling registration, data reporting, fee payments, and procurement of PRNs or PERNs for a service fee.
A compliance scheme is an organisation approved by the Environment Agency (or devolved equivalents) to help obligated producers meet their EPR obligations. Producers can either join a compliance scheme or register individually.
Compliance schemes provide:
- Registration with the relevant environmental regulator
- Data reporting and submission via RPD
- Procurement of PRNs and PERNs
- Payment of waste management fees on behalf of members
- Guidance on regulatory changes and deadlines
Well-known compliance schemes in the UK include Valpak, Ecosurety, Comply Direct, Paperpak, and others. When choosing a scheme, consider their fees, service quality, and expertise. Under pEPR, the role of compliance schemes is evolving — they continue to manage PRN obligations for non-household packaging but the Scheme Administrator handles household packaging fee collection. See our guide to choosing a compliance scheme.
Related Terms
Obligated Producer
A business that meets the legal thresholds for packaging tonnage and turnover, m...
Scheme Administrator
The central body responsible for calculating, collecting, and distributing waste...
Packaging Recovery Note
A tradeable certificate issued by accredited reprocessors proving that a tonne o...
Packaging Export Recovery Note
A certificate proving that packaging waste exported from the UK has been recycle...
Environment Agency
The environmental regulator for England responsible for enforcing EPR for packag...
More compliance Terms
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