The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published supplementary guidance providing additional detail and clarification on the recyclability assessment methodology (RAM) for producers obligated under the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging scheme. The guidance covers 27 technical areas, including medical packaging classifications, distributor responsibilities, testing protocols and record-keeping obligations. It supplements, but does not replace, the existing RAM framework and will be updated more frequently than the annual RAM revisions if further clarification is needed.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a template to assist waste collection authorities in preparing written assessments for the collection of paper and card alongside other dry recyclable materials. This template is designed to support the implementation of existing guidance on collecting paper and card with other dry recyclable waste, including plastic, metal, and glass. While the use of the template is optional, it provides a standardised format for waste collection authorities and other waste collectors to document their assessments. Defra advises waste collectors to retain records of their written assessments and any supporting evidence.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published three guidance documents on the recyclability assessment methodology (RAM) for extended producer responsibility for packaging, effective from 1 January 2025. The first document specifies that large producers supplying household packaging must assess and report the recyclability of their packaging to the environmental regulator using the RAM. It details what packaging must be assessed, material categories, and the three-tiered red, amber, green rating system, which will influence disposal fees through ‘fee modulation’. The guidance also addresses reporting requirements for 2025 and how producers can obtain assistance with assessments. Defra notes that full details on fee modulation will be published in 2025 and that the RAM will be reviewed annually by a Technical Advisory Committee. The second document provides technical guidance on the RAM, outlining the process for classifying and reporting packaging, rules for take-back schemes, and definitions for technical terms. The third document explains how to categorise and rate individual materials under the RAM.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published its triennial report on persistent organic pollutants (POPs), covering the period from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2021. This report, required under Article 13 of assimilated Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 on POPs, details information on the control of manufacturing, placing on the market and use of listed POPs, stockpiles, releases of POPs, waste management, and infringements and related enforcement activity.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a policy statement establishing that planting of untested non-native forestry species in England is not allowed by default. The policy statement permits planting only under specific circumstances, such as for research purposes, provided such planting is of appropriate scale and monitored by a third party. Defra notes that the policy statement will be reviewed and updated if required following implementation of a risk assessment framework for untested non-native species.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an update following a meeting with major landowners. The ‘National Estate for Nature’ committee met to discuss land management plans to meet the country’s legal Environment Act targets.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an update on the progress of the Nature Markets Framework for March 2024. The update provides details on how the government is supporting farmers and other land and coastal managers to access nature markets, in an approach to scale up private investment into nature recovery and sustainable farming under the 2023 Green Finance Strategy.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the updated illustrative base fees for the first year of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging. These fees are estimates, based on current and available evidence. Producers are required to report their packaging data for the period 1 July to 31 December 2024, from January 2025, with a deadline to report by 1 April 2025. The final base fees will be released after 1 April 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an updated National Policy Statement (NPS) for nationally significant water resource infrastructure projects in England, updating the 2023 version. The updated NPS is intended to: (1) streamline the planning permission process for nationally significant water infrastructure projects; (2) facilitate the development of new water supply infrastructure; and (3) provide planning guidance for applicants. It will serve as the primary basis for examination by the Examining Authority and for decision-making by the Secretary of State when assessing development consent applications. The NPS is accompanied by an Appraisal of Sustainability and a Habitats Regulations Assessment.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an updated version of the Outcome Indicator Framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan. The Framework comprises 66 indicators arranged across ten broad themes to monitor environmental changes in England. The indicators are designed to assess a wide range of natural capital assets, including land, freshwater, air and seas, measuring their condition, the pressures affecting them and the services or benefits they provide. The 2025 version includes data on environmental trends for 65 of the 66 outcome indicators.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published updated non-statutory standards for the design, maintenance and operation of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in England. These standards apply to new infrastructure and development on both greenfield and brownfield sites, excluding retrofit projects and the trunk road network managed by National Highways. The document sets out seven standards that address runoff destinations, the management of both everyday and extreme rainfall and flooding, water quality, amenity, biodiversity, and the design, construction, operation, maintenance, decommissioning and structural integrity of SuDS. The standards aim to assist designers, property developers, local authorities and other key stakeholders—including sewerage undertakers and the Environment Agency—in implementing rainwater management systems that replicate natural processes. Aligned with the National Planning Policy Framework, they are intended to complement broader planning reforms expected later in 2025.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published an update to its May 2025 response to the sandeel Arbitration Tribunal’s final ruling in the UK-Sandeel case (the European Union v the United Kingdom) Case No 2024-45. The UK has formally notified the EU of the steps it has taken to comply with the Tribunal’s ruling. While the Tribunal identified a procedural shortcoming in the decision to close English waters to sandeel fishing, it did not dispute the UK’s objectives or scientific rationale for the measures. In response, the UK has carried out a new decision-making process based on updated advice and evidence, which addresses all the requirements outlined in the Tribunal’s report. This includes full consideration of the EU’s rights and interests during the adjustment period. Following this process, the UK has concluded that the closure of sandeel fishing in English waters of the North Sea remains necessary to meet its environmental objectives, including marine ecosystem recovery and achieving Good Environmental Status of UK waters. The UK considers that this new process addresses the procedural shortcomings identified by the Tribunal, and brings it into compliance with its obligations under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The closures will therefore remain in place.