The recycling landscape in England is changing
The UK Government is moving ahead with a series of waste and recycling reforms which will significantly change the country’s recycling landscape.
Simpler Recycling
Since March 2025 all business in England have been able to recycle liquid carton materials with certainty, with households following in March 2026. Liquid cartons will be collected alongside plastic and other dry-recyclable materials.
Extended producer responsibility
From April 2025, all UK packaging producers will be required to pay the full cost of collection, sorting and recycling of the materials they place on the market. ACE UK is already working with DEFRA to ensure that carton collection infrastructure is fully funded across England.
Fibre-based composite target
The UK Government has indicated that a recycling target for fibre-based composite packaging - including liquid cartons - could be introduced. However, they have not yet committed to a binding target or confirmed the timeline. ACE UK continues to press for a clear and ambitious target to ensure that cartons are properly recognised within the UK’s recycling system and to support investment in national recycling infrastructure.
Carton Ready
While two-thirds of UK local authorities currently provide kerbside collection for liquid cartons, a third do not. This means that local authorities in England which have not already set up kerbside liquid carton collections will need to update and align their processes with the waste and recycling reforms.
ACE UK is launching the Carton Ready Campaign to assist those local authorities that do not currently offer kerbside liquid carton collection. Our team will provide advice to local authorities on successfully establishing kerbside collection for liquid cartons.
Contact Us
If you work for a local authority or waste management company and would like to learn more about how ACE UK can help you develop liquid carton collection and recycling, please contact our team at enquiries@ace-uk.co.uk or telephone 01606 530320.