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Written question asked by Andrew Snowden (Conservative) on Thursday, 25 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 (named day). It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Recycling: Social Enterprises

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on social enterprises that donate their profits to charitable causes.

Answer

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) moves the cost of dealing with waste away from taxpayers and generates over £1 billion annually. It supports investment in the UK's recycling industry and will incentivise the shift towards more recyclable materials.

EPR fees are based on the amount of packaging placed on the market, not the type of organisation that creates it. This is fundamental to delivering the scheme’s environmental objectives and driving a reduction in packaging waste.

Registered charities are exempt from the obligation to pay disposal fees under the pEPR scheme. Defra continues to engage with stakeholders on how the scheme is operating in practice.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
13261
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Recycling Social enterprises
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk