UK Government launches consultation on mandatory certification for mechanically recycled plastic in packaging

UK – The UK Government has launched a 12-week consultation on mandatory certification for mechanically recycled plastic in packaging, aiming to reduce false claims and strengthen evidence for the 30 percent recycled content tax exemption.

The consultation period runs from 18 May 2026 until 10 August 2026. 

Officials are asking for views on how widespread fraud may be, the effect on businesses that would fall within the scope of the change, how the requirement could work in practice, and when it could be introduced. 

Responses are being sought from across the plastics supply chain, including mechanical plastic recyclers, tax advisers, trade and professional bodies, waste management firms, local authorities, and other interested parties.

The Problem of Recycled Content Claims

The Plastic Packaging Tax, introduced in April 2022, charges £217.82 (approximately US$276) per tonne on plastic packaging with less than 30 percent recycled content. 

To claim the exemption, manufacturers and importers must hold evidence that their packaging meets the threshold. 

The government is concerned that some operators are making false or mistaken claims, undermining the tax’s environmental purpose and creating unfair competition for compliant businesses. 

The proposed mandatory certification would apply to mechanically recycled plastic, material processed through shredding, washing, and melting without altering the polymer’s molecular structure.

Alignment with Chemical Recycling Rules

The consultation follows earlier policy decisions on chemically recycled plastic. 

At Autumn Budget 2024, the government said businesses would be allowed to use a mass balance approach to account for chemically recycled plastic used in plastic packaging for PPT purposes, supporting the use of and investment in advanced chemical recycling technologies. 

As set out in Budget 2025, businesses will be able to use a mass balance approach from 1 April 2027. 

The government notes that most responses to an earlier PPT consultation supported making certification mandatory for chemically recycled plastic alongside that change, as a way to prevent fraud and preserve consumer confidence.

Industry Engagement

The government will hold meetings with key stakeholders and others who may be affected by the proposals. It will later review submissions and issue a formal response. 

For packaging converters, mandatory certification would add a compliance step but also level the playing field by penalising competitors who currently evade the tax. 

For recyclers, certification could become a market differentiator, as certified material would command a premium over non-certified feedstock.

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