Once fully implemented the digital waste tracking service will require certain information about waste movements to be entered before the movement, followed by confirmation that a waste carrier has collected it and confirmation that it has been received at a waste receiving site.

If these confirmations are not provided, then this will highlight to regulators that this waste may have been ‘lost’ and potentially mismanaged. They can then act accordingly to investigate this.

This transparency and near real time data will reduce the opportunities for organised waste criminals to operate; making it much harder to commit waste crime such as fly-tipping.

The Government published an updated assessment in October 2024 of the impact of introducing packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) on packaging producers as a whole. That assessment did not provide a separate assessment of impacts on the hospitality sector.

We are aware of concerns about packaging that is disposed of through commercial waste streams and continue to work with stakeholders on this issue.

pEPR payments are intended to support and fund the efficient and effective management of household packaging waste by local authorities. Commercial waste collection and recycling arrangements sit outside the purpose of those payments.

Defra is assessing the potential impact of forthcoming amendments to the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) regulations.

The amendments are intended to improve the operation of the scheme, including by clarifying aspects of producer obligations, and strengthening transparency and oversight in the Packaging Waste Recycling Note and Packaging Waste Export Recycling Note systems.

The Government will set out the relevant assessment when the regulations are brought forward. The Department will also continue to monitor implementation and outcomes through the wider Collection and Packaging Reforms evaluation programme.

The October 2024 impact assessment remains the Government’s published assessment of the impacts of introducing Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) and was independently scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), which rated it ‘Green’ and fit-for-purpose.

As the scheme is implemented, Defra and PackUK continue to monitor evidence from scheme delivery, producer reporting, local authority costs, and stakeholder engagement.

Packaging waste recycling targets, met by businesses through their recycling obligations, were set whilst taking account of the expected effects of Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) alongside other recycling reforms, including Simpler Recycling.

These reforms are intended to improve the quality and quantity of material collected for recycling. Businesses remain responsible for meeting their packaging recycling obligations, and Defra will continue to monitor evidence from scheme delivery.

The 2024 final impact assessment for Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) estimated it could result in a one-off increase in CPI inflation of 0.07 percentage points, or an increase to average weekly household expenditure of £0.91. It did not provide a separate estimate of food price inflation. For the average producer, the assessment estimated pEPR costs at less than 1% of turnover. Businesses that do not meet both the £2 million turnover and 50-tonne packaging thresholds are not liable for disposal fees or recycling obligations.

Defra ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders on the operation of the scheme.

Defra have published an impact assessment alongside regulations, implementing changes to biodiversity net gain for smaller developments. This shows around 80% of planning applications are already exempt from BNG under existing exemptions, such as for householder development, which are having little of no impact on biodiversity. We expect that the new exemption for sites of 0.2 hectares or less will exempt around an additional 51% of residential planning applications that are currently eligible for biodiversity net gain.

The consultation on a potential additional targeted exemption for residential brownfield development closed on 10 June 2026. All responses and evidence submissions are being analysed and the Government will respond to the consultation in due course.

Defra have published an impact assessment alongside regulations, implementing changes to biodiversity net gain for smaller developments. This shows around 80% of planning applications are already exempt from BNG under existing exemptions, such as for householder development, which are having little of no impact on biodiversity. We expect that the new exemption for sites of 0.2 hectares or less will exempt around an additional 51% of residential planning applications that are currently eligible for biodiversity net gain.

The consultation on a potential additional targeted exemption for residential brownfield development closed on 10 June 2026. All responses and evidence submissions are being analysed and the Government will respond to the consultation in due course.

As part of a transition to a circular economy, Defra wants to help businesses reduce food waste and improve efficiency. Through the No10-led Food Waste Endeavour, we are working with food businesses and technology providers to understand how UK companies are using AI technologies to drive reductions in food waste and deliver savings for businesses and how government can best support these data driven solutions. No recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the cost of living.

Defra is working with the four nations representatives and regulatory bodies to consistently and continuously engage with stakeholders on the development of digital waste tracking, both in the waste industry and software development sectors and with our colleagues in local councils. Timelines and information can be found on this gov.uk webpage - Digital waste tracking service - GOV.UK. Information will be made available as the service develops.

In May, the Prime Minister committed to a national programme to redistribute surplus food to support those in need. Defra is working with food retailers, redistribution organisations, and charities to increase the redistribution of edible surplus food and reduce waste. In 2024, redistribution organisations received around 210,000 tonnes of surplus food, equivalent to 500 million meals worth approximately £870 million. We know that improving the use of real-time data and strengthening links between businesses and redistribution networks means that surplus food can be identified and redirected more quickly, ensuring more edible food reaches those who need it rather than going to waste. We are looking at opportunities for the sector to maximise the use of data.

Once fully implemented the digital waste tracking service will require certain information about waste movements to be entered before the movement, followed by confirmation that a waste carrier has collected it and confirmation that it has been received at a waste receiving site.

If these confirmations are not provided, then this will highlight to regulators that this waste may have been ‘lost’ and potentially mismanaged. They can then act accordingly to investigate this.

This transparency and near real time data will reduce the opportunities for organised waste criminals to operate; making it much harder to commit waste crime such as fly-tipping.

Defra officials engaged extensively with Welsh Government on its decision to include single-use glass containers in its Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). This led to an agreement by UK Government to an exclusion from the UK Internal Market Act 2020.

Welsh Government and their Deposit Management Organisation (DMO), once appointed, will need to consider how glass containers subject to their DRS will be labelled.

We continue to engage with the Welsh Government on the implementation of its DRS in respect of single-use glass.

Defra is working closely with stakeholders on potential changes to the household packaging definition in the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) regulations, including interim and longer-term approaches to dual-use packaging.

Any approach must be supported by sufficient evidence and be enforceable by regulators.

Defra is working closely with stakeholders on potential changes to the household packaging definition in the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) regulations, including interim and longer-term approaches to dual-use packaging. No final date has been set for any proposed interim solution.

Any changes would need to be workable, enforceable, and protect the operational integrity of the scheme across different supply chains and business models.

The mitigation hierarchy remains at the heart of the Nature Restoration Fund. These Regulations require Natural England, where appropriate, to prioritise avoidance measures over mitigation and compensation measures, and mitigation over compensation measures, whilst also considering value for money.

These Regulations require Natural England to consider value for money as part of their consideration of whether it is appropriate to depart from this hierarchy. What constitutes value for money will depend on the circumstances of a particular EDP, and Natural England may also take into account any other factors relevant to determining whether it is appropriate to depart form the hierarchy. Any resulting EDP will be subject to consultation and approval by the Secretary of State

The potential impacts of the Nature Restoration Fund were assessed through the Impact Assessment published alongside the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025.

Landfill gas remains the highest source of emissions in the waste sector and is a major source of methane. Through the introduction of waste policies, including landfill tax and the collection and packaging reforms, these emissions are declining, and expected to decline further through aging of the landfill population, and the ongoing diversion of biodegradable waste away from landfill.

The Environmental Permitting Regulations require for sites to take measures to capture landfill gas, which may be used for energy generation. In the UK’s most recent National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory, it was estimated that 57% of landfill methane was captured in 2024, with 52% being used for energy generation. With the cessation of the Renewable Obligations Certificates for Landfill Gas to Energy Generators, Government has outlined in the Methane Action Plan that it will support increased methane capture from landfill gas sites including through exploring the implementation of a long-term methane capture scheme with suitable transitional arrangements. Defra are currently considering options for a long-term alternative for landfill gas and working closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on proposals for a potential transition scheme.

Simpler Recycling requires local authorities in England to collect core recyclable waste streams from households, including glass. In our guidance we set an expectation that households should receive an equivalent collection service for recycling as they do for residual waste services. In practice this means collecting directly from households.

Bring banks should only be provided to supplement collections from households.

Reservoirs are reasonably necessary for agricultural purposes and can already be developed under an existing Permitted Development Right. We recognise that navigating planning flexibilities can be challenging, therefore we intend to update the relevant Planning Practice Guidance in the coming months with additional guidance to make it easier for farmers to utilise the Permitted Development Right in practice.