The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its guidance for organisations on extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging recycling obligations and waste disposal fees. The update confirms that organisations cannot currently accept packaging recycling notes (PRNs) or packaging export recycling notes (PERNs) to meet their 2026 recycling obligations until the Report Packaging Data service is updated. Any PRNs or PERNs accepted before the update will be automatically applied to 2025 obligations.

The Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published updates to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreement terms and conditions and scheme information. The SFI now requires farmers and land managers to apply for a separate SFI agreement for more SFI actions and land.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its publication on England and the UK's carbon footprint to include 2021 figures. The report states that between 2020 and 2021 the UK’s carbon footprint is estimated to have risen by 15%, reflecting an increase in emissions from all activities, but particularly in emissions from imported goods. The carbon footprint refers to emissions that are associated with the consumption spending of UK/England residents on goods and services and those which are directly generated by households through private vehicles and burning fuel to heat homes.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its guidance on the treatment of irreplaceable habitat for biodiversity net gain (BNG). The update extends the guidance to nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) from 2 November 2026, separating NSIP-specific provisions from those governing developments requiring planning permission. The update also clarifies that statutory biodiversity credits cannot be used as compensation for irreplaceable habitat impacts, and provides further clarification on the definition of irreplaceable habitat and the circumstances in which consent is required for enhancement works.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its guidance on labelling requirements for specific products moving from Great Britain to retail premises in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS) to include information on products that need individual product labels from 1 July 2025 as part of Phase 3 of NIRMS. Food products such as pet food, unprocessed fruit and vegetables, fish, eggs, honey and now composite products eg pizza will have to be individually labelled to move through NIRMS. Deregulated fruits, products that meet UK public health standards and do not need certification or controls at agri-food points of entry under the Official Controls Regulation, and shelf-stable composite products will not need to be individually labelled as they will be exempt.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its guidance on the upcoming single-use vapes ban. The section titled 'If you get caught selling or supplying a single-use vapes from 1 June 2025' has been updated to reflect changes to Scottish and Welsh enforcement. In Scotland, enforcement officers can issue a fixed penalty notice as an alternative to criminal prosecution. The penalty for a first offence is £200, reduced to £150 if paid within 14 days, with higher penalties for repeat offenders within a three-year period. In Wales, enforcement authorities can impose civil sanctions, such as a fixed fine of £200 or more, an enforcement cost recovery notice, a non-compliance penalty, or a stop notice. Offenders may also be tried in a Magistrates’ or Crown Court.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its guidance on single-use plastics bans and restrictions. The updated guidance clarifies the definitions of single use and reusable products by providing associated descriptions, as well as examples of reusable plastic items. Defra has also added new subheadings for 'Banned items' and 'Restricted items' to enhance navigation within the guidance. In addition, a link to the local council postcode finder has been included to enable individuals report businesses that violate the law.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated its list of designated responsible bodies able to enter into conservation covenant agreements with landowners in England. Conservation covenants are private, voluntary agreements between a landowner and responsible body and can be used to secure biodiversity net gain sites. There are currently four designated responsible bodies: Harry Ferguson Holdings Limited, Natural England, Northumberland County Council and RSK Biocensus.

The Department for Business and Trade, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has updated guidance on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) regulations. Defra has updated the Non-Complying Products Notifications Guidance and form for completion.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published updated statutory guidance documents placing local authorities under a legal duty to follow prescribed procedures when exercising their litter enforcement powers. Two statutory guidance documents have been updated: the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse and ‘Litter enforcement powers: when and how to use them’. Under the revised framework, councils may issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500 for littering, including litter thrown from cars. Unpaid penalties will double after 28 days and vehicle owners will become liable where the offender cannot be identified. The guidance also requires proportional enforcement, directing authorities to prioritise serious or repeat offenders rather than focusing on accidental littering.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has published updated guidance on water fittings regulations specifications, effective from 6 May 2027. The guidance sets out regulator-approved specifications for compliance with the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999, SI 1999/1148in England and Wales, which are intended to prevent contamination of the public water supply, ensure efficient water use, and protect against misuse and waste, with enforcement carried out by water undertakers. Defra states that approved water fitting specifications, including certain Test Code Sheets (TCS), provide a recognised means of demonstrating compliance and confirms that the specifications published on the Water Regs UK website apply in their current form. The updated specifications relate to backflow prevention, water closet suite performance, flush rate, dimensional requirements, overflow compatibility and related testing, including a new specification, TCS 2213-20 on dimensional and internal overflow compatibility, while specification TCS 5011-5 on measurement of dimension will cease to apply from the same date.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister, Andrew Muir, have announced updates on the implementation of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers, reaffirming their commitment to launch the DRS across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (NI) in October 2027. Defra also intends to lay regulations for England and NI in November 2024, facilitating the appointment of Deposit Management Organisations (DMOs) in April 2025. However, the Welsh Government announced delays in the development of its DRS, stemming from unresolved devolution issues under the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020. As a result, the Welsh Government cannot proceed with the joint process to collaborate with the UK and devolved governments to appoint the DMO or notify the World Trade Organisation about the scheme at this time.