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Recyclability of Packaging & Products

A critical issue facing manufacturers of plastic packaging & products is how best to achieve recyclability in a way is practical and cost-effective. RECOUP works with stakeholders across the industry to ensure the optimum balance between recyclability and design.

What RECOUP do

  • Lead a steering group to identify key areas of investigation in design for recyclability.
  • Challenge current design practices to identify key areas of development in sustainable and recyclable packaging design.
  • Educate brands and manufacturers by providing a set of guidelines to help them to achieve recyclability of their packaging.
  • Assess plastic packaging recyclability both theoretically and in practice.
  • Investigate developments and innovations in packaging design and ideas.

How RECOUP can help

  • Conduct impartial and objective analysis of packaging available on the market.
  • Provide guidance to members on material and packaging recyclability enquiries.
  • Carry out packaging recyclability assessments at material recovery facilities supported by the RECOUP in-house lab. Find out more about our trial and assessment services here.
  • Challenge packaging designs that sway from the guidelines set out by RECOUP, RecyClass and other recognised bodies.

 

Recyclability Assessment Methodology – RAM

The most recent version of the DEFRA Ram was released to trade bodies on 8th April. RECOUP have made this available to members to download; https://www.recoup.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/RAM-v1.1-08.04.25-1.pdf

The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) will evaluate packaging to ensure that it can be recycled and transformed into new products. All packaging that is placed on the market and reported as household waste in 2025 will need to conform with details on the RAM. From 2026, modulated fees will be applied accordingly to each packaging format.

Packaging formats will be rated as either green, amber or red. Green suggest that the packaging has a recognised path for collection, sorting and recycling and will have lower fees applied than that rated amber or red. The producers will need to report their data from October 2025 with fees being applied from 2026 onwards.

The RAM will provide a standard guide which will support producers to make effective choices when it comes to design and materials and will be a financial incentive to ensure more environmentally friendly packaging.

RECOUP will continue to support its members, ensuing that our Recyclability by Design publication aligns with the RAM where appropriate, and providing technical expertise with testing and analysis of packaging. For questions relating to the RAM and how RECOUP can provide guidance please contact Paul.east@recoup.org

Recyclability By Design Guidance

Since 2006, RECOUP has helped lead the conversation around packaging recyclability and design through our flagship publication, Recyclability by Design. Updated annually, this essential document provides a set of guidelines to help the plastics packaging industry make informed choices.

Recyclability By Design is published in three versions, all available to download free of charge.

  • Full technical version, offering details on how to recycle plastic packaging, including sustainable alternatives for some of the issues encountered with the various polymers and packaging types.
  • A summary version, written by RECOUP and the British Plastics Federation (BPF).
  • An easy-to-read version, Design Tips for Recycling, co-authored with WRAP. This is aimed at a non-technical audience who may not be experts in packaging but need to know about recycling principles.

Packaging recyclability and design in action | RECOUP case studies

Each year RECOUP produces a set of case studies inspired by packaging trends and developments.  The result is a growing library of insights and ideas to help inspire designers, manufacturers and brands to refine their efforts to make recyclability easier and more accessible.

Packaging Recyclability & Design Reports

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