Summary logs for UK packaging waste: an overview

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Accepted Answer

What summary logs are听

Reprocessors听and exporters听need听to听use听summary logs听to听record data about packaging waste听received or exported for recycling.听Summary logs are听spreadsheets听that听you need to complete听for each registration or accreditation that you hold.

笔耻谤辫辞蝉别听

Summary logs help you capture some of the data required under the听Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024. It is a condition of registration and accreditation.听Read more about the听reporting requirements.听

For operators with accredited materials, summary logs are the method by which you upload this data to the 鈥楻ecord reprocessed or exported packaging waste鈥� service. Once uploaded, the data you provide in your summary log听will听be used to calculate听your waste balance.听You听will听use听the waste balance听to听issue听packaging recycling notes (PRNs) and packaging waste export recycling notes (PERNs).听Completing summary logs is a condition of accreditation.

For operators with registered-only materials, summary logs support you to record the data you are required to report.

For regulators, summary logs听give听them more听data听to听help them听target fraud and error,听protecting听the interests of legitimate听industry.

When to update them听

Operators听with accredited materials

At a minimum you need to update the log at least once a month, once you can include all the data for the previous month. This is so you can submit your monthly report by the 21st day of every month with the data for the previous month.听听

For example, you first need to submit your summary log by 21 February 2026. It must include the data for January 2026.听听

You could update the summary log multiple times during January and February, or just once between 1 and 21 February, as long as it includes all of the January data by 21 February.

Operators听with materials that are registered only

At a minimum registered operators need to update the log at least quarterly, once you can include all the data for the quarter. This is so you can submit your quarterly report before the 21st day of the month following the end of the quarter.

Updating your summary log听regularly

You can update the log more often than the minimum reporting requirements if you prefer. Operators with accredited materials may prefer to do so to keep the waste balance up to date.

Each time you add a load to the summary log, you should enter fresh data on the same spreadsheet using the next blank row. (See Entering your data for more details.)听Do not start a new spreadsheet each month.

Do听not enter any听estimated dates听or amounts, leave these fields blank.听You can submit a summary log with a partially completed row and upload it again听once听those fields are filled in.听For example, you could input听the date when the waste was loaded for export at a UK site and then return later to add the date it鈥檚 received at an overseas site.听At this point you can issue a PERN against the export.

Regulators expect that some lines will show waste leaving the UK site but having not yet arrived at the overseas site.

Make changes to your summary log

If you need to make changes to data you鈥檝e entered and uploaded, you can make corrections within an existing row of data and re-upload your summary log. 听听听

Do not insert new rows or try to delete rows. If a whole row of data is wrong, get in touch with your regulator for further advice.听

Update the monthly or quarterly report to show the changes听

Note that when you make changes to a summary log from a previous month, and you鈥檝e already submitted the corresponding monthly or quarterly report, your report听will not update automatically. You鈥檒l听need to resubmit the report for that period to ensure the changes are reflected in the data听submitted听to regulators.听See the reporting guidance for more details about how to do this.

Submitting nil returns

You need to submit a nil return if, in a month (for accredited materials) or quarter (for registered-only materials), both of the following apply:

you did not receive any packaging waste for recycling, or to export for recycling
you did not reprocess or export any packaging waste

To submit a nil return for a month or quarter:

Go to the service to do your monthly or quarterly reporting.
You do not need to upload your usual summary log spreadsheet, or a new blank summary log spreadsheet. If there is nothing uploaded to the service, it will automatically create a report with zero values.
Select to use this data for your reporting.

Downloading and setting up your summary log template

Choose the template you need听

There are summary log templates for all types of operating activity. You must use the templates provided.听

You need to听use听the correct one for your operating activity.听Complete a new spreadsheet for each registration or accreditation you have.

If you are accredited for a material, you will also be registered for it. Complete an accredited summary log in this case. You only need to complete a registered template if you do not have an accompanying accreditation.

You can download the summary log templates.

Technical information听

You must:听

use a Microsoft Excel version from 2007 onwards听
save the template as an XLSX file

We recommend using the desktop version of Excel.

Keep a back-up copy of the document听so you do not lose your data if听there are听any problems听with the file.听

If you have technical issues with your summary log,听contact the听EPR听helpdesk.

Data security

Read the Extended producer responsibility for packaging privacy notice to see how the听regulators can use the data you submit through your summary log.

Set up the summary log template

You must enter the information requested on the cover sheet for the template to work.

If you do not select the material, some of the drop-down lists will not work.

If you do not enter your registration and accreditation number (as applicable), you will not be able to upload the template to the reprocessors and exporters service as required.

Entering your data

Anyone can fill in and upload the summary logs for your organisation.

Filling in the summary log template

Fill in a new row for each听load and do not听delete听existing data.听听

Each row starts with a pre-populated reference for that load 鈥� do not change this.听听

Parts of the templates are locked to stop you from changing the structure or format.听

Enter data in the format provided, or you will not be able to听upload the summary log. If you copy and paste into the template, first make sure the data you paste in matches the formatting required by the relevant cell.

You can use the 2 blank sheets provided for any personal calculations, look-up tables or other functions that improve your workflow.

The templates have a limit of 15,000 rows. If you need to enter more rows than this, contact EPRCustomerService@defra.gov.uk.

Data definitions

Read supplementary guidance on filling in the summary log to help you understand what is required and how to enter your data.

Entering single waste streams

Operators with accredited materials need to report each load as a separate line

You need to use a separate row in the template for each separate load of waste you receive from each supplier on each date.

If you collect or receive an entire load from one supplier site, the supplier name you enter in that row is the name of that load site.

If you collect or receive waste from multiple suppliers and bulk up waste at your own site, list each supplier as separate rows in the summary log.

Operators with registered-only materials can aggregate data

Operators with registered-only materials can aggregate data as far as allowed by the summary log templates.

In practice, this means that reprocessors can aggregate loads that arrived from the same supplier in the same month. For example, rather than entering each load as a separate row, you could have one row that covers all the loads from one supplier organisation per month. You cannot aggregate across multiple months, or across reporting periods.

If there are different descriptions of waste that have come from the same supplier (but are still the same material), enter each material on a separate row. For example, plastic film and plastic bottles would need to be on separate rows.

For exporters, in听section 1 of the template听(which听asks about packaging waste received) you听can aggregate听loads that arrived from the same supplier, in the same month.听听

However,听in sections 2, 3 and 4 (which听ask about packaging waste exported听or sent on), you听can only aggregate听if听you send听multiple听boats or听containers听on the same day to the same overseas reprocessing site.听

You听need to听complete听separate听rows听if, for example:听听

you听send听multiple听boats or containers to the same overseas reprocessing site听on different dates within a听quarter,听as听you听need to show the specific date of export for each听
each container听on a boat听goes to a different overseas site, as听you need to show each overseas reprocessing site separately

Entering mixed-waste loads of the same material category

If your approved sampling and inspection plan allows you to receive mixed loads of the same material category, and you use any nationally agreed protocols, agency agreed industry grades (AAIGs) or site-specific protocols, enter a separate row for each protocol.

For example, use separate rows for:

paper meeting EN643 codes 1.01 and 1.02 for the national protocol
paper meeting code 1.04.01 for an AAIG

If you do not use any protocols or none apply and you receive mixed loads where multiple waste descriptions could apply, record each waste description on a separate row. For example, plastic film and plastic bottles would go on separate lines.

If you鈥檙e an exporter and you pre-sort mixed waste loads before you export the packaging waste, you need to enter each waste type on separate lines in the summary log.

If you have a registered-only material and you have mixed loads, you can aggregate the data by supplier and by the waste description.

Uploading your summary log to the service听

Upload your summary log to the 鈥楻ecord reprocessed or exported packaging waste鈥� service.

If you are registered or accredited for 2026, you will have been invited to access the service through an email invitation link.

The service will validate that your summary log is the correct file type and that you have entered the data correctly. It will check some of the information you have entered.

For accredited operators, it will show how your waste balance will be updated so you can check for errors. Once you鈥檝e submitted your summary log, it will confirm your updated waste balance.

Get help and give feedback听

If you have questions and feedback on the summary log, contact your regulator.听听

Find information on call charges.听

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Environment Agency听

Email: packaging@environment-agency.gov.uk听听

Telephone: 03708 506 506听听听

Wales听听

Natural Resources Wales听听

Email: packaging@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk听

Telephone: 0300 065 3000听听

Scotland听

Scottish Environment Protection Agency听

Email: producer.responsibility@sepa.org.uk听听听

Telephone: 0300 099 6699听

Northern Ireland听

Northern Ireland Environment Agency听

Email: repandexp@daera-ni.gov.uk听听听

Telephone: 028 9056 9338听

Questions about the 鈥楻ecord reprocessed or exported packaging waste鈥� service

Email: EPRCustomerService@defra.gov.uk听听

Telephone: 0300 060 0002听

Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm听

Find information on call charges.

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