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How to register as a packaging producer

Find out if you are affected by the packaging regulations and how to register.

Who is affected by the packaging regulations?

About 5,500 businesses in England and Wales are obligated under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (packaging waste) Regulations 2007 (as amended). The regulations require businesses to recover and recycle waste packaging to meet national recovery and recycling targets.

The UK recycled over six million tonnes of packing waste in 2008 as a result of these regulations.

Businesses need to pass two threshold tests to become producers. They must: 

  • have a turnover of £2 million or above;
  • handle 50 tonnes or more of packaging in a calendar year.

Companies who are part of a group, should be aware the turnover and packaging handled thresholds apply to the aggregate group turnover and aggregate packaging handled by the group. Producers are defined in the regulations as:

  • Manufacturers - businesses who make packaging materials
  • Converters - businesses who make packaging items
  • Pack-fillers - businesses who fill packaging
  • Importers - businesses who import packaging
  • Sellers - businesses who sell packaged goods

How to register

If you are a producer whose registered office or main place of business is in England or Wales you should register with us by 7 April in any calendar year. You must register online using the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD). For further details, please refer to our guidance NPWD01 How to register as a producer of packaging using the National Packaging Waste Database (updated December 2010) (PDF, 71KB).

If your registered office or principal place of business is in Scotland, register with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Registering with us is one way of fulfilling your registration obligation. The other is by joining a compliance scheme. Details of how you can register or join a compliance scheme, and our fees and charges, can be found in our guidance note WMP1:

Making an application online

You can register your company online using the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD):

Once you've logged on you'll be prompted to change your password and PIN. Remember to keep your login details secure. If you registered previously online you should have already received login details for NPWD. Please note that NPWD doesn't process online payments so you will still need to pay us in the normal way, such as by cheque or BACS transfer (please use reference PR/PK). See the WMP1 guidance notes for more information:

Incapacity in relation to producers of packaging

For more information on individual producers who die, are bankrupt or are incapacitated and companies that have gone into liquidation, administration or receivership, see the below document: