PRNs are the shorthand term for a kind of currency in recycling - packaging waste recovery notes. They provide the evidence that businesses need to prove they have met the producer responsibility requirements of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations.

In short, businesses in the packaging chain large enough to be covered by the regulations have to account for a certain amount of recycling and recovery of packaging waste - the latter primarily through incineration with energy recovery. The businesses who are covered by the regulations are known as obligated businesses and they meet their obligation by acquiring PRNs, usually buying them from accredited reprocessors who sell PRNs. Alternatively the obligated businesses can join compliance schemes who buy PRNs on their behalf.