According to the recent Finance Bill 2021, a new tax on plastic packaging will apply for packaging that contains less than 30% recycled plastic up from 1 April 2022. The value of the tax would be approximately £200 per tonne.

The tax will impact companies that manufacture or import plastic packaging in the UK. It will also apply to the import of filled and unfilled plastic packaging, which means that it may also apply to items purchased in plastic packaging.

Further information will be available as soon as the Bill has received Royal Assent.

Furthermore, the UK Government is currently consulting on a draft law on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging waste management. The new EPR system shall replace the existing system and, beyond others, will provide so-called modulated fees according to the recyclability of the packaging material.

The improved regulations are likely to come into effect in 2023.