What’s happening in the world of policy: March 2026
March 2026 brought significant developments across UK and EU environmental policy. Here are some expert insights from our in-house policy specialist, Michael Jennings.
I rounded off March on the beach (a brief bit of sunshine, I know!) over at Robin Hood’s Bay across the other side of North Yorkshire, but now I’m back for a roundup of the past few weeks! Use the glossary of key terms at the bottom of the article to help you navigate the news story and quickly understand the key policies, acronyms, and updates discussed.
UK
Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR)
There were two big pieces of news out of pEPR in March:
- A new consultation on reforming the PRN system to better support domestic recycling infrastructure and reduce fraud, and
- The appointment of UK Packaging PRO. The PRO to take on key roles from PackUK, and bridge the gap between industry and government.
We also had the recalculated Year 1 NoL sent out to producers after the Government stepped in to cover the ~£63m shortfall in collected fees, though based on our calculations at Beyondly, we believe the shortfall to be over £100m.
- If a producer’s liability went up due to a resubmission, they should have received a new invoice for the difference
- If a producer’s liability went down due to resubmission, or a reduction due to lower government admin costs, then they’ll receive an amended version of their original NoL.
The Agreed Positions v.8 were released at the end of February, which will apply to 2026 packaging data. A kindly reminder that for 2026 packaging data, you’ll also need to be gathering your Nation of Sale information, and Carrier Bag information if you supply certain bags in England, to report in April 2027.
Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (DRS)
The Senedd has voted in favour of new regulations that will establish DRS in Wales, aligning with rest of the UK with a transition period for glass. While there are mixed feelings on both sides of the debate for the inclusion of glass, it’s certainly reassuring for businesses that there is a clear roadmap ahead for at least 2027.
Following their recent first round of webinars, Exchange for Change (EfC) have released resources and one-pagers for producers, retailers, wholesalers, and hospitality.
One of the big parts of the DRS is the deposit. There are two main factors here:
- The structure (fixed or variable) and amount of the deposits. This consultation has closed, awaiting finalisation by EfC, and
- The consultation on the Return Handling Fee (RHF). The amount that businesses are compensated, per unit, for being a return point, will open after Easter.
Simpler Recycling
On 31 March, Year 2 of Simpler Recycling in England kicked in with waste collections now being the same across all Local Authorities…
Well… that’s what’s meant to happen, though I have received zero communications or new bins from my LA…
Batteries
The first round of Government workshops on adopting EUBR wholesale across the whole of the UK have been completed, though there has been little communicated since on future direction and timeframes.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
A consultation is running until 13 May 2026 on Amendments to the Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Regulation 2026. While not directly linked to the WEEE regulations, 4 of the 5 new POPs are used, or historically used, in EEE, so worth checking out if you manufacture or import EEE.
The 2026 WEEE collection targets have been published. You can read more about these in our news story here.
Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)
Due to the publication of the UK SAF Mandate at the start of 2025, there is now misalignment with UK’s ETS rules.
A consultation has been opened (closes 15 June 2026) on how SAF should be treated under the ETS moving forwards to ensure that SAF emissions savings are recognised under ETS and to preserve the environmental integrity of the UK’s carbon market.
UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM)
A CBAM research briefing was published explaining what CBAM is, how the UK CBAM will work from 1 January 2027, and how it interacts with the EU CBAM, alongside wider trade and global implications.
Circular Economy
There’s still no news on England’s Circular Economy Growth Strategy, but Scotland has published their Circular Economy Strategy, Environment Strategy, and Climate Change Plan 2026-2040!
Wider political landscape
The Senedd (Welsh Government) and Holyrood (Scottish Government) are both now closed before elections in May.
Senedd
- The first elections since the reforms to the voting system will, amongst other things, increase the Senedd from 60 to 96 members.
- Opinion polling is close, with Plaid looking to win for first time as largest party, albeit short of a majority, though need to watch out for a last-minute surge from Reform close behind.
- A strong turnover for Reform could upset legislative change in Wales, most notably the still shaky DRS, while also potentially providing a boost for them across the rest of the UK at a period when they may have already reached their peak.
- The Green Party have said that they would be willing to work in coalition with Plaid to build a majority.
Holyrood
- Nothing much to report in Scotland, but it’ll be worth watching the SNP as any major lead in the polls could be the setup for another independence referendum in 4 or 5 years.
- 49% of Scots feel the Holyrood Government are doing poorly when it comes to housing (YouGov) but feel most positive about the SNP’s performance on the environment.
- On 18 March, YouGov data suggested that 56% of voters would vote ‘No’ to independence if a referendum was held today, up from 50/50 in February, though the outlook for a referendum in 4-5 years does swing towards ‘Yes’.
EU
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) guidance
With the 12 Aug 2026 start date for PPWR fast approaching, we finally have some guidance and information published by the Commission:
Beyondly colleagues are reviewing these documents as we speak to help support you stay ahead on PPWR compliance.
Digital Product Passports (DPP)
Not as exciting an update for DPP as what it first seems, the methodology published by the JRC doesn’t outline what will be in specific DPPs, but it does outline what criteria are to be assessed for what could go into DPP for each specific product.
For the lay person, it’s a pretty good read to refresh yourself with what DPPs are, including some great examples of how they could be used, but for anything concrete we’re still going to have to wait.
EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM)
The first quarterly price (€75.36) for CBAM certificates corresponding to emissions in Q1 2026 has been published ready to be purchased from Feb 2027 onwards. Prices will be published quarterly in 2026 for stability before moving to weekly from 2027, but this first publication gives importers the first clear indication of actual costs moving forward.
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
The Commission has updated their infographic and example scenarios for the due diligence and other requirements of companies in the supply chain.
If you are still confused about the recent updates and changes around EUDR, this sets out a clear representation of your different obligations in different scenarios, so well worth the read.
Omnibus updates
Finally, a small update on recent Omnibus activities. There have been the first readings in the EU Parliament for the following amendments:
- Removal of mandatory Authorised Representatives for WFD, SUPD, and WEEE Directives, and PPWR, and EU Batteries Regulations
- Slight amendments to EUBR around the obligation for distance sellers, SoC labelling, and LMT battery removability requirements.
Beyondly is here to help!
The landscape of environmental compliance and sustainability is evolving rapidly. As further regulatory developments emerge across the sector, Beyondly remains a proactive and trusted partner, guiding businesses through times of change and uncertainty.
