The Climate Change Conference held in Glasgow, UK, in 2021 advocated for better management of the environment to combat climate change and global warming.
The experts proposed eco-friendly waste management strategies, especially in urban areas, to deal with pollution and other forms of environmental degradation.
Over the years, many policies have been drafted and adopted across the globe to deal with the menace of waste management. One such widely used policy is EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility).
Let’s dive in and discuss what this policy advocates for and its benefits to the environment.
What is ERP Compliance Requirement?
EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility and was developed as an approach requiring Product manufacturing companies to take responsibility for their product’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. Companies are required to abide by the policy’s stipulated obligations and regulations.
Here are four primary points to note about ERP compliance requirements.
Product Coverage
This facet of EPR compliance refers to the product categories such as packaging materials, electronics, automobiles, batteries, and potentially hazardous substances. The scope of coverage varies by region and country.
Financial Responsibility
Product manufacturing companies are now more aware of their product’s environmental impact than before. In the context of EPR, the companies bear the financial responsibility of managing their products from the first phase of their lifecycle to the end of their life cycle.
It includes collection, recycling, and safe disposal to ensure they don’t pollute the environment. For a company to be ERP compliant, it must set up collection systems and partner with facilities involved in recycling waste materials such as plastic. The company should also be involved in creating a funding mechanism for waste management.
Reporting and Registration
As the name suggests, the companies must submit reports of their products. The reporting obligations include providing information about the amount or quantities of products manufactured, types, and destinations.
They must also indicate the recycling and collection efforts and programs they have implemented to ensure they don’t end up in wastelands. In some countries,
the producers/manufacturers must register with the relevant regulatory authorities and comply fully with the set-up reporting frameworks.
Recycling and Recovery Targets
Different countries have different EPR programs, but they all share a common goal: to promote environmental wellness by ensuring that companies are responsible for the impact their products have on the environment at different life cycle stages.
Recycling and recovery targets state the minimum percentages of products that the company should recycle, recover, or diver from landfills. Regular audits and reporting mechanisms confirm that the companies meet these targets.
Compliance Fees and Penalties
Compliance fees and penalties are imposed on companies that fail to meet their EPR obligations.
The fees are not meant to punish the companies found guilty of not complying but rather as an incentive to comply.
The fees are calculated based on the environmental impact, product type, and volume.
Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs)
Some countries have dedicated Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) whose primary mandate is to facilitate EPR compliance.
The organizations work as intermediaries between the waste management facilities and the producers. They work by coordinating collection, recycling, and reporting.
EPR compliance requirements vary significantly between regions,
countries, and individual programs. Your best bet to comply with the requirements is to consult experts in the region or country where you distribute products to avoid legal tussles.
EPR compliance will also enhance your reputation and credibility as customers now gravitate towards eco-friendly products and companies that are environmentally conscious.
What is the Difference Between EPR and Conventional Packaging?
According to a recent US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report, food and food packaging materials account for almost 50% of municipal solid waste. Sadly,
most product packaging is designed as single-use, meaning the packaging is often disposed of into the environment rather than recycled or reused.
The main difference between EPR and conventional packaging is the approach to managing the impact packaging materials have on the environment at different stages of the product cycle.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) seeks to mitigate this problem by advocating for environmentally friendly packaging and recycling.
The main difference between EPR and conventional packaging is the approach to managing the impact packaging materials have on the environment at different stages of the product cycle.
Conventional packaging systems place the responsibility of managing packaging waste solely on the waste management authorities and consumers.
the EPR shifts that responsibility to the products, with the primary goal being to promote sustainable packaging practices, increase recycling rates,
and reduce the environmental impact of packaging materials.
Here is a breakdown of the main differences between EPR and conventional packaging.
Conventional Packaging
- Responsibility: The customers, end users, and local waste management are responsible for handling the waste. The manufacturers are not directly accountable for the post-consumer stage of packaging.
- Waste Management: It’s the sole duty of the municipal waste management systems to collect,
- recycle or handle the disposal of packaging waste. The efficiency and effectiveness of these systems vary significantly across countries, with developing countries needing more effective waste management organizations.
- Incentives: There are no incentives to encourage producers to design packaging with environmental considerations and recyclability in mind. Instead, the producers focus more on cost, functionality, and branding.
EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)
- Responsibility: EPR states that the producers/manufacturers are responsible for managing their product packaging waste. They are legally obligated to manage the waste generated by their products, including but not limited to collection, recycling, and safe disposal.
- Financial Responsibility: Manufacturers must incur the economic costs of end-of-life packaging management. The cost is meant to motivate them to design environmentally friendly, recyclable packaging made from sustainable or eco-friendly materials.
- Recycling and Recovery Targets: The manufacturers should achieve the minimum amounts of packaging waste monthly, quarterly, or yearly. They need to achieve these targets to become fully EPR compliant.
- Reporting and Compliance: Manufacturers must document and report their packaging waste management efforts. The report should indicate the quantities of waste recycled and the materials used. The regulatory authorities regularly conduct audits to ensure compliance.
- Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs): PROs’ role is to develop frameworks to facilitate and coordinate the collection, recycling, and reporting of packaging waste on behalf of the manufacturers. As mentioned, they act as intermediaries between waste management facilities and manufacturers/producers.
Final Thoughts
Apart from product manufacturers and Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs),
where else should we increase our efforts to protect the environment?
In fact, everyone on the planet should be responsible for environmental protection; consumers should start by reducing the use of disposable products and packaging,
reducing the amount of small waste produced, separating household waste and using recyclable waste. The earth will not be polluted by the waste produced by a few people,
nor will it become an oasis because a few people are environmentally conscious.
