UK shifts timeline for chemical recycling in Plastic Packaging Tax  

Posted on May 6, 2025 by DrRossH in Plastic Recycling

The UK’s HM Revenue & Customers (HMRC) department has set a timeline for updates to the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT), first introduced on April 1, 2022. The governing body is anticipating the deadline to recognise mass balance materials as recycled content by two years to April 2027. …

Source: UK shifts timeline for chemical recycling in Plastic Packaging Tax | Sustainable Plastics

The Plastic Packaging Tax requires producers of plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into, the UK to pay a set rate per tonne of plastic packaging if it contains less than 30% recycled plastic. As of April 1, 2025, the rate has increased to GBP 223.69 per tonne.

The new timeline allows chemically recycled plastic accounted via the mass balance method to count towards the 30% recycling content threshold two years earlier than expected.

Alongside the timeline changes for recognition of chemical recycling, the use of pre-consumer (PIR) waste as a source of recycled content will be excluded from April 2027.