The department said that development is “progressing well” on the digital service that will allow accredited reprocessors and exporters to raise and issue Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRNs) and Packaging Waste Export Recycling Notes (PERNs).
On 18 February, accredited operators will be able to create and authorise new PRNs and PERNs, issue them to a specified recipient, and generate a PDF copy showing the note as “awaiting acceptance”.
Producers and compliance schemes will be about to view PRNs and PERNs in the Report Packaging Data service and formally accept or reject them from 27 February.
This will be the first time PRNs and PERNs have been issued in 2026.
Temporary deferral of monthly reporting
Alongside the service update, the Environment Agency has published a Regulatory Position Statement (RPS) covering monthly reporting duties for accredited reprocessors and exporters in England.
The statement relates to obligations under the Producer Responsibility (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 to submit monthly data on packaging waste received, recycled or exported, and PRNs or PERNs issued.
Under RPS365, this monthly reporting submission requirement is being temporarily deferred while digital reporting functionality is completed.
Operators must still continue to collect and record data using the official summary log templates.
The RPS does not remove any other legal obligations under the Packaging Regulations.
Service access issues highlighted
Defra also confirmed that it is aware that some operators have had difficulty accessing the digital service after receiving invitation emails.
Users are advised to check spam and junk folders for messages issued from the Defra report packaging waste mailbox.
Additional account-access guidance is available through Defra’s online support pages, with unresolved issues directed to the pEPR helpdesk email.
Delays to system
The latest update follows earlier confirmation from Defra that PRNs and PERNs could not be issued through the digital service during January, with a delay to the original go-live date.
In a previous stakeholder notice, the department said the planned February solution required further development and that regulators were working on interim measures to minimise disruption.
Defra acknowledged industry frustration and apologised for the delays affecting businesses across the packaging waste supply chain.
The announcement followed earlier concerns from industry over potential delays to the accreditation of packaging reprocessors and exporters.
Under the new Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, all UK reprocessors and exporters will need to be registered and accredited from 1 January 2026 if they wish to issue PRNs or PERNs.
Subscribe for free