The National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD) is an online database that tracks how much packaging has entered the UK market and how much packaging waste has been recovered or recycled.
The NPWD is supported by the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the Northern Ireland Environment Protection Agency, and industry. It enables businesses obligated by packaging and battery regulations to prove that they’re meeting their legal requirements. The NPWD is also where waste packaging reprocessors and exporters submit their data for compliance schemes.
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) uses data from the NPWD to help measure the UK’s progress in meeting its recycling and recovery targets in line with Net Zero.
What services does the NPWD provide?
The NPWD went online in 2006, replacing a paper-based system that was considered inefficient and susceptible to fraud. Its first iteration enabled waste reprocessors and exporters to submit their quarterly returns online. Since then the NPWD has expanded to provide a range of functions, including those of a public register and reporter.
It enables online registration for compliance schemes; accreditation of packaging reprocessors and exporters; approval of batteries treatment operators and exporters; and the issuing of Electronic Packaging Waste Recovery Notes (PRNs) and Electronic Packaging Waste Export Recovery Notes’ (PERNs). It issues batteries evidence notes, generates electronic statements and certificates of compliance.
It also monitors the compliance of producers, schemes, reprocessors and exporters.
What does packaging mean here?
Packaging in this context is any material used to hold, protect, handle, deliver and present goods. This includes packaging for secondary raw materials and those for finished goods. Pallets, bags, boxes, tape for wrapping, rolls, tubes and clothes hangers sold as part of the clothing item are all defined as packaging for the purposes of the NPWD.
