Recent Posts
Latin America: an update on EPR legislation in 2025
by Jennifer Brook at 09:10 in Circular Economy, Packaging, Environmental
Latin America: a cultural region where a common language meets a vast geographical area; a region united by the citizens speaking Spanish or Portuguese, except the language has evolved slightly differently in each country – as has the legislation for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). 'Latin America' is often defined as the cultural region spanning ...

Poland’s Deposit Return Scheme Launching October 2025
by Harriet Simms at 09:04 in Circular Economy, Emerging, Packaging, Environmental

Poland's long-anticipated Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is set to go live on October 1st, 2025. This milestone follows the enactment of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Management Act in July 2023, which originally aimed for implementation in January 2025. The scheme marks a significant step towards aligning Poland with the EU's sustainability goals and c...
A Year at Lorax EPI: More Than Just a Placement
by Anaay Vora at 13:12 in Content
I joined Lorax EPI in September as an Environmental Compliance Researcher for my placement year. Many of my friends described their placements as repetitive and unchallenging, with lots of admin work. However, my experience here couldn't have been more different. Lorax has given me opportunities to grow, learn and take responsibility.When I first joined, ...
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What is the RAM, and why does it matter?
by Ana Pilcher May at 12:56 in Circular Economy, Content, Packaging, Environmental, Emerging

If you're a large packaging producer in the UK, you've probably heard about the new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules. From 1 January 2025, all household packaging must be assessed using something called the RAM. RAM stands for Recyclability Assessment Methodology. It's a system created by Defra for large producers to measure how recyclable t...
DRS simplified: How the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme will impact you
by Ramisa Shahjahan at 08:30 in Circular Economy, Environmental
What is a Deposit Return Scheme?A Deposit Return Scheme is a recycling initiative designed to encourage people to return used beverage containers by charging a small refundable deposit. In practice, it often looks like this: When purchasing a drink, you (as a consumer) are charged an additional fee on any beverage bottle subject to the scheme. After consu...

PPWR and the Future of EU Labelling: Key Changes Ahead
by Alena Zein at 08:16 in Environmental, Circular Economy, Packaging
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The European Union is making a significant move towards sustainable packaging, through the introduction of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). PPWR marks a transformative shift in how packaging is designed, labelled, utilised and disposed of across the EU.Currently, packaging labelling requirements vary widely between EU countries. While...
Food Packaging PFAS Policy; How is PFAS Legislation Shaping Packaging Worldwide in 2025
by Catherine Alford at 09:24 in Environmental, Packaging
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are a group of synthetic chemicals. The US Environment Protection Agency have identified and recorded nearly 15,000 synthetic chemicals that belong to the group. However, they have been shown to display extreme persistence within the environment and organisms, leading them to be dubbed 'forever chemical...

Meet the B Hive: Driving Sustainability from Within at Lorax EPI
by Joshua Martin at 10:54 in Content, Circular Economy, Environmental

At Lorax EPI, sustainability isn't just a service we provide—it's a value we live by.While we spend our days helping global brands meet their environmental compliance goals, we also recognise the importance of leading by example, in our own operations. That's why we created The B Hive—our internal sustainability team dedicated to reducing our own environ...
Australia: How PCR Policies Are Shaping Regional Sustainability
by Verity Anipa at 13:19 in Circular Economy, Content, Emerging, Environmental, Packaging
As the global push for circularity gains momentum, post-consumer recycled (PCR) content policies are emerging as key levers for change, none more so than in Australia. With governments introducing increasingly ambitious targets for recycled content in packaging and other materials, Australia is positioning itself as a leader in driving sustainable produc...

Portugal’s Deposit Return Scheme Set for 2026
by Meng Yan at 07:15 in Environmental, Circular Economy, Content
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Portugal is gearing up to introduce a national Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for single-use beverage containers in 2026, aiming to boost recycling rates and reduce waste. The system will be managed by SDR Portugal, a non-profit organization, with Sensoneo providing the digital infrastructure to support the scheme. Portugal's first DRS was initially planned...
The JRC Unveils Prototype PPWR Sortation Label Following Stakeholder Consultation
by Siân Lee at 10:27 in Environmental, Packaging
In March 2025, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a 182-page report summarising the results of the 2024 stakeholder consultation on waste sortation labelling. The original stakeholder consultation, which ran from 2 September to 30 September 2024, sought to gather perspectives from industry experts on the potential design of t...

US Packaging EPR Update: Tracking Progress and Challenges Across Key States
by Justin Given at 14:00 in Packaging, Emerging

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging exist in five U.S. states: Maine, California, Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota. These laws make producers financially and logistically responsible for managing packaging waste. Eco-modulation fees, which reduce costs for sustainable packaging choices, are a key feature. Maine was first (2021), foll...
The Death of the Green Dot as We Knew It
by Jennifer Brook at 16:05 in Circular Economy, Packaging, Content, Emerging
Producers selling packaged goods in the EU will no longer be able to put the Green Dot on their packaging.We've all seen the Green Dot: a green circle made of two arrows, normally placed on the corner of packaging. But what does it mean?The original idea behind placing the Green Dot on packaging was to show that the producer had paid their EPR fees to a ...

6 Months Until the First Canadian Federal Plastics Registry Report — Is Your Company Prepared?
by Aaron Sarah at 13:07 in Emerging, Environmental, Packaging

With only six months remaining until the first report is due to the Federal Plastics Registry, does your company feel prepared to complete it? This blog will explore who is required to report to the registry, what information must be included in the report, and the latest updates on the implementation of the Canadian government's reporting portal.The obl...
Understanding the EU Batteries Regulation: Key Deadlines and Obligations for Producers
by Anaay Vora at 14:39 in Battery, Circular Economy
The EU Batteries Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, which came into force on 17th August 2023, introduces stricter requirements for batteries and waste batteries. It aims to create a more sustainable, circular and responsible battery industry within the EU. This regulation repeals the Battery Directive 2006/66/EC with effect from 18th August 2025 and amends the W...

Turkey rolls out nationwide Deposit Return System starting 1st January 2025!
by Alena Zein at 11:00 in Circular Economy, Packaging, Emerging

Turkey is making significant strides toward environmental sustainability by implementing a nationwide Deposit Return System (DRS), locally known as the Deposit Management System (DYS). This initiative plays a crucial role in Turkey's Zero Waste Project, aiming to boost recycling rates and foster environmental awareness among its citizens. Although the DR...