New report finds fibre based composite pEPR fees may have been overpaid by between £6.3m and £13.7m

A new report published by compliance scheme Beyondly, commissioned by ACE UK, has found that producers of fibre-based composite (FBC) packaging like liquid cartons, sandwich wrappers and ready meal containers may have been significantly overcharged by the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. The report found that the £461 per tonne pEPR fee charged by PackUK…

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ACE UK joins call for government to deliver Circular Economy Growth Plan

ACE UK has joined over 50 businesses and trade associations in a letter to Defra Secretary of State Emma Reyolds, urging the government to publish its long delayed Circular Economy Growth Plan.   Co-ordinated by the Green Alliance, the letter expresses concern surrounding the ongoing delay to the plan, which could ‘harm momentum towards a more resilient,…

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Liquid Cartons now carry the OPRL Recycle Label

This month marks another big milestone for ACE UK as all new liquid cartons will carry the OPRL Recycle label. In simple terms, that means consumers can put them straight into their household recycling bin. This change has been made possible through work between industry groups, our members and the On-Pack Recycling Label Scheme, which…

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Kerbside collection of cartons reaches 86% of UK councils

kerbside

We are really pleased to share that liquid cartons are now widely collected in the UK. As of 6th April 2026, 86% of UK local authorities accept cartons as part of their kerbside recycling collection service. The milestone marks a significant step in a journey that began back in 2007 with the members of ACE…

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ACE UK supports establishment of new cross-party group in Parliament

APPG meeting

ACE UK has supported the foundation of a high-level group in Parliament, which aims to better understand the UK’s vibrant packaging sector and to advocate for a policy landscape which improves recycling outcomes. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Packaging and the Circular Economy brings together MPs and Peers with packaging industry leaders and provides…

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ACE UK PRESS RELEASE: Recycling Label Milestone for Liquid Cartons Welcomed by ACE UK

OPRL has recently confirmed that cartons used for food, drink and other liquids, including aseptic and chilled cartons, will carry its widely recognised ‘Recycle’ label from 1 April 2026. This marks a major milestone for packaging recyclability in the UK and follows England’s Simpler Recycling reforms, which mandates liquid cartons for kerbside collection by April…

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ACE UK PRESS RELEASE: Ben Powell appointed as Head of External Affairs

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK has announced the appointment of Ben Powell as its new Head of External Affairs, bolstering progress towards the organisation’s mission of boosting liquid carton recycling across the UK. Ben’s appointment comes at a critical time for UK waste and recycling policy, with 16 months to…

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JOINT STATEMENT: Paper and glass trade associations unite to rally against commingled collections

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI), British Glass and The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK have united to urge Defra to rethink its decision to allow commingled collections of paper, card, glass and liquid cartons under Simpler Recycling. Current proposals threaten the quality of recovered materials, which in turn, stand against…

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Mandy Kelly appointed as Chief Executive of ACE UK, succeeding Richard Hands

With over 30 years of experience in the recycling industry and nearly 10 years working as the senior recycling manager at ACE UK, Mandy Kelly has been appointed as Chief Executive of the liquid carton trade association. Mandy is taking the reins from Richard Hands, who has led ACE UK since its founding in 2010.…

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ACE UK STATEMENT: ACE UK has supported the installation of a Recycleye robotic arm, boosting sorting of liquid cartons at the Veolia Southwark facility

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK, working in partnership with recycling AI engineers Recycleye and waste managers Veolia, has unveiled an advanced, automated sorting system to boost the volume of liquid cartons separated for direct reprocessing in South London. ACE UK is supporting the installation of Recyleye Vision technology at the…

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