RECOUP Expands Laboratory Capabilities with New Microplastic Analysis Service

RECOUP, the UK’s leading independent authority and trusted voice on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, has expanded its in‑house laboratory through significant improvements to its microplastic analysis capabilities. This marks an important development in the organisation’s ability to examine plastics at a far more detailed level, strengthening the evidence base available to industry, researchers, and policymakers.

RECOUP’s enhanced microplastic analysis capability builds on the organisation’s established laboratory services, including recyclability assessments, material identification and sorting performance evaluation. The upgraded methods allow for more precise examination of microplastics, offering clearer insight into polymer types, particle size, morphology, and behaviour.

The improved approach enables RECOUP to detect microplastics previously hidden within complex materials such as soil samples. By digesting organic matter and applying density separation, the laboratory can isolate particles that standard visual analysis may miss. Using an FTIR microscope, RECOUP can now accurately identify polymers in particles as small as 200 μm, providing stronger confirmation of material composition and fragmentation behaviour. Integrating this capability with existing testing programmes allows RECOUP to link product design and recyclability outcomes with how materials behave in real‑world systems and environmental pathways.

Richard Cham, Technical Manager at RECOUP commented, “By enhancing our microplastic analysis, we are adding greater scientific depth to the services our members and partners already rely on. This new capability helps us uncover microplastics that were previously undetected in environmental samples and enables us to evaluate plastics more fully across their lifecycle so that organisations can take evidence-based action to reduce environmental impact.”

These advancements reinforce RECOUP’s continued commitment to supporting the plastics value chain through high‑quality analysis and evidence, practical guidance, and authoritative technical expertise. The improved microplastic analysis capability will support future research collaborations, policy development, and ongoing industry efforts to address plastic fragmentation and environmental impact.

To learn more about RECOUP’s improved testing services, please contact our laboratory team at enquiry@recoup.org or visit www.recoup.org.

Defra and Environment Agency Update Guidance on Collection of Packaging EPR Data

There was updated guidance on 17 February from Defra and the Environment Agency about what packaging EPR data needs to be collected.

The guidance outlines what data packaging producers need to collect and report to comply with EPR.

There are minor amendments for clarity and the update includes:

• The reusable packaging section now explicitly states that reusable packaging must be reported twice.
• The hired or loaned section clarifies that it is the service provider who must report, not the person hiring or borrowing.
• The plastic subtypes section adds household drinks containers to the list of packaging types requiring a rigid and flexible split.
• The tertiary packaging definition has been corrected.
• The shipment packaging definition covers all tertiary packaging supplied to consumers, not just online or mail order.
• The section on packaging already supplied by another producer has been rewritten, using “supplied” rather than “reported” as the legal trigger.

The full guidance can be viewed here.

Secure Your Place at The RECOUP Summit – Help Shape the UK’s Circular Plastics Future

The shift to a circular plastics economy can’t happen alone – it requires collaboration across materials, infrastructure, technology, and policy. The RECOUP Summit, sponsored by WRAP and Ecosurety, is where the UK’s plastics community comes together. 

On 4 March 2026 in Leeds, leaders, innovators, and decision-makers from across the plastics, packaging, and recycling value chain will gather for a focused day of discussion on the systems, technologies, and partnerships driving circularity in the UK. 

Following the success of the 2025 Summit, this year’s event will explore how materials innovation, advanced recycling infrastructure, and AI-driven insights are creating a more resilient, effective circular economy. Attendees will benefit from expert-led breakout sessions, followed by collaborative discussions tackling shared challenges and identifying actionable opportunities. 

Session themes include: 

• Materials of Tomorrow: Innovation Driving Circular Change 

• Rebuilding the UK Recycling System 

• AI and the Future of Plastics 

Contributors include PepsiCo, Borealis, Enviroo, Reconomy, Sherbourne Recycling, WRAP, Asda, Greyparrot, and other leading organisations shaping the future of recycling and resource efficiency. 

With a focus on practical insight and cross-sector collaboration, The RECOUP Summit is your chance to move beyond ambition and start delivering real-world solutions. 

Attendance is limited – don’t miss your opportunity to join this essential conversation. Ticket Sales close on 24 February 2026 

Leeds | 4 March 2026 

Secure your ticket and view the full agenda at: https://www.recoup.org/news-events/the-recoup-summit/