Defra reissue illustrative base fees

As indicated during the first release of the illustrative Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) waste management fees in August, Defra has released a second iteration of the expected costs using more accurate data now available from packaging reports submitted by registered producers.

When compared with the first estimations for Year 1 EPR costs, the cost per tonne has decreased for all materials and the ranges between the lowest and highest estimates have lessened, other than for wood.

This is because the reissued base fees have been updated using a more accurate methodology, using actual placed on market (POM) figures reported by producers in 2023 under the EPR data submission regulations, alongside Local Authority packaging waste management costs modelled by Defra.

However, Defra note that the POM figures could nonetheless be underestimated, as the data does not account for packaging reported after 9 September 2024 (when the figures were extrapolated), or obligated packaging that has not been reported by unregistered producers.

If this is the case, then increased accuracy of POM figures over the coming months may result in the estimated fees decreasing further as local authority costs are apportioned over a higher tonnage.

Updated cost modelling analytics

As a reminder, the exact fees that will be payable in October 2025, due to the EPR reporting schedule, will not be confirmed until after April next year but producers can use the reissued estimates for budgeting in the meantime.

Our EPR cost modelling analytics tool in the Ecosurety Hub has been updated so that our members can easily review the implications on their future compliance costs. This is available for Advanced and Premium members.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact our team at info@ecosurety.com.