RAM Explained: A Practical Guide to the Recyclability Assessment Methodology

The Recyclability Assessment Methodology — known as RAM — is the framework that determines how recyclable your packaging is for the purposes of pEPR eco-modulated fees. If you are an obligated producer under pEPR, understanding RAM is not optional. It directly determines how much you pay.

This guide explains how RAM works in practice, what each assessment stage involves, and what you can do to improve your packaging’s rating.

What RAM does

RAM provides a standardised way to assess whether a piece of packaging can actually be recycled within the UK’s current waste management infrastructure. It is not a theoretical assessment of whether something could be recycled under ideal conditions — it tests whether it will be recycled in practice, given the collection systems, sorting facilities, and reprocessing capacity that currently exist.

The result is a Red, Amber, or Green (RAG) rating that feeds directly into your pEPR fee calculation. Green-rated packaging pays the lowest fees; Red-rated packaging pays the highest.

The five assessment stages

RAM assesses packaging through five sequential stages. Your packaging must pass all five to achieve a Green rating. A failure at any stage results in an Amber or Red rating.

Stage 1: Classification

What material is the packaging made from? This stage identifies the primary material (plastic, paper, glass, metal, etc.) and any secondary materials (labels, adhesives, coatings, closures). Multi-material packaging is classified based on its primary material by weight.

Common issues: Packaging where the primary material is unclear, or where secondary components make up a significant proportion of the total weight, can create classification challenges.

Stage 2: Collection

Is the packaging collected for recycling? This stage asks whether the packaging format is accepted in UK kerbside collection schemes. Materials collected by the majority of local authorities pass this stage. Materials that require specialist collection or are not commonly collected at kerbside may fail.

Common issues: Flexible plastic films (currently not widely collected, though Simpler Recycling will extend this from 2027), small items that fall through sorting screens, and unusual formats not recognised by householders.

Stage 3: Sortation

Can the packaging be sorted into the correct material stream? This stage considers whether the packaging can be identified and separated by the near-infrared (NIR) sorting technology used in UK materials recovery facilities (MRFs). Carbon black plastic, for example, is invisible to NIR sorters and typically fails this stage.

Common issues: Carbon black or very dark colouring, full-body sleeves that obscure the underlying material, and metal components that cause contamination in plastic or paper streams.

Stage 4: Reprocessing

Can the sorted material be reprocessed into new material? This stage assesses whether the packaging can be mechanically or chemically recycled by existing UK or export reprocessors. It considers whether the specific format, grade, and contamination level is accepted by reprocessors.

Common issues: Multi-layer laminated structures that cannot be separated, certain barrier coatings, heavily contaminated materials, and materials for which no UK reprocessing capacity exists.

Stage 5: End market application

Is there demand for the recycled material? Even if packaging can be collected, sorted, and reprocessed, if there is no market for the resulting recycled material, it does not pass this final stage. This reflects the reality that recyclability requires a functioning end market.

Common issues: Novel materials without established end markets, materials that can only be downcycled into low-value applications, and recycled material that does not meet quality specifications for reuse.

How to improve your RAM rating

Many packaging items can be improved from Red or Amber to Green through targeted design changes. The most common improvements include:

• Eliminate carbon black: Switch to detectable dark colours or lighter alternatives. This alone can move packaging from Red to Amber or Green at the sortation stage.
• Simplify multi-material constructions: Reduce the number of different materials in a single pack. Mono-material designs are almost always easier to sort and reprocess.
• Use wash-off adhesives: Adhesives that release during the recycling process prevent contamination of the recycled material stream.
• Remove or reduce non-recyclable components: Metallic foils, certain inks, and non-detachable components can downgrade an otherwise recyclable pack.
• Switch to widely collected formats: If your packaging format is not commonly collected at kerbside, consider whether an alternative format would be. Rigid plastic pots, tubs, and trays are now widely collected; flexible films will follow from 2027.
• Consult a design specialist: The FuturePack directory includes packaging design consultancies that specialise in Design for Recyclability (DfR) and can advise on specific improvements for your packaging.

For a full overview of how RAM ratings feed into your pEPR costs, see our guide to eco-modulated fees. For the complete regulatory context, visit the FuturePack Regulatory Hub.