Small businesses in Northern Ireland are being urged to sign up to the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) register and report their packaging data in good time. The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) reminds that the new rules have been in force since January 2025 and also affect smaller businesses.
Companies with an annual turnover of more than one million pounds and a packaging volume of more than 25 tonnes will have to record and report data in future. The aim of the UK-wide EPR reform is to increase recycling rates, reduce waste and allocate more of the costs of packaging disposal to the manufacturers.
New obligations for smaller and larger companies
The deadline for submitting the data for 2024 was 1 April 2025 and, according to the NIEA, more than 100 companies have already contacted them with questions about their new obligations. A spokesperson emphasised that even smaller producers should not feel exempt, as non-compliance could result in penalties.
Additional requirements apply to larger companies: They must now report their data every six months and, for the first time, bear the full costs of collecting, sorting and treating packaging waste. From 1 October 2025, companies will also be obliged to pay disposal fees. In future, the amount of these costs will depend on the recyclability of the packaging, which will financially favour sustainable solutions.
The EPR reform was introduced by Defra and has been in force across the UK since 1 January 2025.
Source: NIEA
