ERA strengthens EPR support

ERA is supporting window and door manufacturers in complying with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which was introduced on 1 January 2023.

Implemented by the UK government, the regulations require businesses that have an annual turnover of £2million or more, are responsible for 50 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year and carry out any packaging activities, will be required to report on their packaging data by October 2023.

Smaller producers with an annual turnover of £1million or more, and are responsible for over 25 tonnes of packaging in a calendar year, will have until April 2024 to report on 2023 data.

Both types of businesses will have to report on packaging from 1 January 2023 and may have to pay a penalty charge if they miss their respective reporting deadlines.

EPR transfers the shared responsibility for the management of packaging waste to the packaging producers, who will have sole responsibility and pay the full cost of managing packaging once it becomes waste.

To streamline the process for manufacturers and ensure they collect the correct packaging data, ERA is working in partnership with its customer base to help identify their liability and mitigate any potential cost implications.

To support the reduction of plastic packaging throughout the supply chain whilst increasing the use of recyclable packaging, ERA says it is proactively improving the sustainability of its packaging, without negatively affecting the protection of its products when in transit.

This forms part of ERA’s parent company, Tyman, wider 2030 Sustainability Roadmap, which outlines proactive measures to minimise its impact on the environment. As part of the Roadmap, Tyman has committed to achieving 100% sustainable packaging by 2026 and has pledged to eliminate waste to landfill by the same year.

Jonathan Garrett, group health, safety and sustainability director at Tyman, said: “We are extremely conscious of the responsibility we have to not only improve the sustainability of our products and operations, but to support our extensive network of door and window manufacturers in enhancing their own environmental credentials.

“Our commitment to ensuring compliance with EPR forms part of our much larger ‘eliminate, minimise, replace’ strategy, which outlines how we can increase the level of recycled material within our packaging, whilst simultaneously reducing the level of packaging required.”