Environment Agency
The environmental regulator for England responsible for enforcing EPR for packaging, registering producers, accrediting reprocessors and exporters, and monitoring compliance with packaging waste regulations.
The Environment Agency (EA) is the executive agency of DEFRA responsible for environmental regulation in England. For EPR packaging, the EA is the primary enforcement body for English producers.
EA responsibilities include:
- Registering obligated producers and compliance schemes
- Accrediting reprocessors and exporters to issue PRNs/PERNs
- Operating the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD)
- Enforcement action against non-compliant producers
- Monitoring and reporting on packaging recycling rates
The EA works alongside SEPA (Scotland), NRW (Wales), and NIEA (Northern Ireland) as part of the UK-wide regulatory framework. Producers operating across multiple UK nations may interact with multiple regulators. The EA has powers to issue civil penalties and criminal prosecution for serious non-compliance. See also our guide to working with the EA.
Related Terms
Compliance Scheme
An approved organisation that manages EPR obligations on behalf of obligated pro...
DEFRA
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs — the UK government depar...
SEPA
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency — Scotland's environmental regulator ...
Natural Resources Wales
The environmental regulator for Wales responsible for enforcing EPR for packagin...
NIEA
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency — the environmental regulator for Northe...
Enforcement
The regulatory actions taken against producers who fail to comply with EPR oblig...
More organisations Terms
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