Recyclability assessment methodology: how to assess your packaging waste
An overview of the recyclability assessment methodology (RAM). Under extended producer responsibility for packaging, large producers must report the recyclability of some packaging materials
From 1 January 2025, liable producers who supply household packaging must assess the recyclability of that packaging and report the results of the assessment to the environmental regulator.
Find out about EPR for packaging. This collection of guidance includes information on who is affected (바카라 사이트榣iable바카라 사이트�), what data to collect and how to report
To do this, you will need to assess packaging you supply using the recyclability assessment methodology (RAM).
This Version 1.1 of RAM, published in April 2025. Find out more about versions of the RAM and how it is updated. The RAM is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
Different kinds of packaging receive different ratings - red, amber or green. This rating affects the disposal fee that will be charged for that packaging. This is sometimes called 바카라 사이트榝ee modulation바카라 사이트�.
This is an overview of the RAM. There is separate technical guidance that explains:
- how to assess and rate individual materials - use this to find red, amber or green ratings for your packaging materials
- definitions and background - this explains the stages of recyclability and some technical terms
Who has to do this
Only large producers (also known as 바카라 사이트榣arge organisations바카라 사이트�) must collect and report their recyclability assessment data. Find out about small and large producers.
What packaging you must assess
You only need to collect and report recyclability assessment data if you supply household packaging.
Categories of material
There are 8 categories for materials. These are often called 바카라 사이트榮pecified materials바카라 사이트�.
- paper and board
- fibre-based composite materials
- plastic - there is separate guidance for rigid plastics and flexible plastics
- steel
- aluminium
- glass
- wood
- other
Each unit of packaging or component should be assessed under one of these categories.
Separate guidance explains how to apply the RAM to each category of material. Use that guidance to assess whether your packaging unit or component is red, amber or green.
Outputs: the red, amber, green scale
In addition to the material category, packaging will fall into one of 3 sub-categories:
- red packaging has specifications that make it difficult to recycle at scale
- amber packaging may experience challenges during collection and sortation, requires specialist infrastructure for reprocessing, the efficiency and output quality of reprocessing is affected, or there is some secondary material loss
- green packaging is widely recyclable in the current UK infrastructure
Materials that are exempt
Some packaging is exempt from a recyclability assessment:
- reused packaging, unless it has been imported into the United Kingdom
- any packaging exported from the United Kingdom by the producer
- drinks containers made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, steel or aluminium
- drinks containers for which a deposit is payable and is within scope of a DRS which is in operation
- non-household packaging
Automatic reds (바카라 사이트榩roblematic packaging바카라 사이트�)
Some packaging and components of packaging always count as red on the scale.
Items of packaging or components must be classified as red if they contain any of the following above the limit of detection:
- integrated electrical components or batteries that would be classed as Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) - for example, boxes that include LED lights
- any of the substances of very high concern (SVHC) above the specified thresholds set out under
- inks that are not manufactured in compliance with the EuPIA
- any household packaging within scope of the RAM which has not been assessed or where the detail required to undertake an assessment isn바카라 사이트檛 available
If perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have been intentionally added to packaging, this is also an automatic red. However, this does not apply if the predominant material is aluminium, steel or glass.
How this will affect what you pay (바카라 사이트榤odulation바카라 사이트�)
Full details of how fees will be modulated will be published in 2025.
What you must report in 2025
You need to submit recyclability assessment data about all household packaging that you supply.
You must enter the results of your assessment on the packaging data file that you submit to the regulator through the report packaging data service. There are initial details on how to do this in the guidance that explains how to create your file for EPR.
If you need help assessing your packaging
If you do not know what the packaging you supply is made of or are missing other technical details that you need to complete the assessment, contact the packaging manufacturer.
You can also contact a third party provider for advice on your EPR packaging obligations including making and reporting the results of your recyclability assessments. Third party providers are likely to charge a fee for this.
RAM versions and updates
The RAM will be reviewed and updated annually. This is to allow for innovation, evolving market conditions and regulatory changes.
The update will happen in the autumn before the reporting year it applies to.
This version of the RAM: 1.1
This is RAM version 1.1 (April 2025). This simplifies the first version, which was published in December 2024. Major changes are noted in the appropriate section.
Who decides these ratings
There will be a RAM Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) which will advise PackUK on the annual review of the RAM. The TAC is an advisory body made up a broad cross section of the packaging value chain. It will support PackUK to assess any planned changes to the RAM.
Updates to this page
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This is version 1.1 of the recyclability assessment methodology. Updates from version 1 (December 2024) are noted in the text.
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This update removes some references to drink cans, which are not to be assessed, links to the register of compliance schemes and corrects a typo (a missing 'not' with regard to the Exclusion Policy for Printing Inks and Related products)
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First published.