PackUK revised its Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM)

PackUK has revised its Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) for the UK's Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme. This update simplifies the recyclability assessment process for household packaging, aiming to reduce complexity. Key changes include the removal of certain criteria that previously led to 'red' or 'amber' classifications, such as:

• For paper and cardboard, the requirement that packaging be classified as red if it contains any retained product residue that cannot be removed by hand has been removed.
• For fibre-based composite materials, the need to classify packaging as red if it is likely to retain product residue that a consumer cannot remove by hand has been removed.
• For flexible plastics, they are no longer automatically classed as red if they contain carbon black pigment in inks and labels covering more than 50% of the total surface area.
• Conversely, a new 'red' classification is introduced for steel items larger than 300mm.As the modulation of disposal fees based on recyclability comes into effect from 2026, these updates are crucial for packaging producers preparing for compliance.

Further details can be found here.