Plastic Packaging
Packaging made from polymeric materials including PET, HDPE, PP, LDPE, PS, and PVC. Plastic packaging faces the highest scrutiny under EPR with elevated modulated fees for non-recyclable formats.
Plastic packaging encompasses all packaging made from synthetic polymers. It is one of the most scrutinised material categories under pEPR due to environmental concerns.
Common plastic types in packaging:
- PET (1) — bottles, punnets, trays (widely recycled)
- HDPE (2) — milk bottles, detergent containers (widely recycled)
- PVC (3) — blister packs, shrink sleeves (not widely recycled)
- LDPE (4) — carrier bags, stretch wrap, bread bags
- PP (5) — tubs, pots, lids (increasingly recycled)
- PS (6) — expanded polystyrene, yoghurt pots (limited recycling)
Plastic packaging is also subject to the Plastic Packaging Tax if it contains less than 30% recycled content. Under fee modulation, non-recyclable plastic formats attract the highest fees. Producers should consider switching to widely recycled formats or increasing recycled content. The OPRL labelling scheme helps communicate recyclability to consumers. See our plastic packaging EPR guide.
Related Terms
Packaging Material
The physical material from which packaging is made. Under EPR, packaging must be...
Modulated Fees
Fee adjustments applied on top of base fees that reward recyclable packaging wit...
Recycled Content
The proportion of a packaging item made from previously recycled materials rathe...
OPRL
On-Pack Recycling Label — a UK labelling scheme that provides standardised recyc...
Plastic Packaging Tax
A UK tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled content, charged...
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