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Accredited reprocessors and exporters

Accredited reprocessors and exporters

Introduction

Accredited reprocessors or exporters recycle or recover waste packaging discarded by United Kingdom (UK) businesses and households. They sell electronic packaging recovery notes (ePRNs) and electronic packaging export recovery notes (ePERNs) and reinvest the income into the recycling of packaging.

Packaging producers, or their compliance schemes, buy ePRNs and ePERNs as evidence that waste packaging was recovered. These notes are evidence of meeting their waste packaging recycling and recovery obligation.

A register of accredited exporters and reprocessors is available on the National Waste Packaging Database (NPWD) public register.

Applying for accreditation

Accreditation is voluntary and is available to any UK based site that is carrying out a valid recovery activity on packaging waste provided that an adequate documentation system is in place to record activities.

You can apply for an accreditation if you are a UK business which:

  • recovers or recycles UK waste packaging;
  • exports UK waste packaging for recovery or recycling.

Online applications

Applications for accredited status can be made online via the National Packaging Waste Database.

  • Step 1: If you don’t already have a login, request a user name and password by contacting us using our online contact form.
  • Step 2: Login and specify the type of accreditation you are applying for (reprocessor or exporter). We accredit each reprocessing site and each waste material separately. You can submit multiple applications. Complete the online form (you do not have to complete in one session - you can save and reopen to fully complete another time).
  • Step 3: Upload your documents, as explained below:
    • Reprocessor – business plan, sampling and inspection plan, details of the recovery and recycling processes you use.
    • Exporter – business plan, sampling and inspection plan, evidence that the site to which you are exporting the waste meets the same environmental standards as those in the EU (known as ‘broadly equivalent standards’). You can apply as an exporter with no overseas sites and add them later once you are accredited.
  • Step 4: Pay your accreditation fee to SEPA. Contact us for payment details by contacting us using our online contact form. You will be given the option to pay via BACS transfer.f you wish to make a payment call 07388 371 621 for our bank account details or queries.

SEPA has a statutory 12 week determination period for all applications, from receipt of the correct application. To ensure your application is determined by 1 January, we must receive it by 30 September. Applications received after 30 September may not be determined until after 1 January. Accordingly, accreditation will not be back dated and you will not be permitted to issue evidence during a period of non-accreditation.

Transfrontier shipment of waste

If you are operating as an accredited exporter of packaging waste then you must comply with the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007. These regulations control the import and export of all waste streams into and out of the United Kingdom and subsequently apply to all exports of packaging waste.

See our Transfrontier shipment of waste web pages for more information.

Contact us

If you have any questions or require any further information or advice on any aspect of packaging waste, please contact us.