Concretising the role of extended producer responsibility in European Union waste law and policy through the lens of the circular economy

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to shed light on the main aspects of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a widely used principle of environmental policy, looking through the lens of EU waste law and policy, as this is currently evolving. The main discussion will revolve around the opportunities of moving towards a more effective EPR and adopting more effective policy instruments. Emphasis will be given to the definition of EPR, to its content and to implementation schemes in EU law especially as regards the role of EPR in achieving the challenging targets which exist relating to waste management and product design requirements under the Circular Economy Package, while at the same time highlighting the inter-relationship between waste and product laws.

Extended Producer Responsibility in the Australian Construction Industry

“…Despite the proven financial benefits yielded from the application of EPR schemes [19,82], the costs associated with the establishment and enforcement of EPR programs tend to be high [13,80,83]. The higher costs are associated with required changes in product design (e.g., design for disassembly) and technology and infrastructure improvements in manufacturing phase [13], collect and produce mandatory information [19] and administrative expenses to action, monitor and enforce EPR requirements [83]. The later costs could grow significantly if waste resources were to be managed within regions which are subject to multiple regulatory frameworks imposing different legal requirements [82].…”

“…Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is found to be a successful market-based policy approach that can significantly contribute to a circular economy in the construction industry. EPR has been applied to different waste types and streams [12,13] and is able to prepare the construction industry and the relevant C&D waste recovery sector to accommodate drastic changes that are inflicted by adverse incidents such as widespread pandemics, climate crisis, trade wars and natural hazards [9,14]. Technically, EPR renders manufacturers responsible (financially and/or physically) for the entire lifecycle of their products during the supply chain of materials [15], including design, manufacture, recycling and final disposal [16].…”

“…EPR provides an opportunity to firstly prevent waste generation [17], secondly divert additional waste away from landfills to reuse and recovery [12] and thirdly creates and stimulates markets for C&D waste resources [1]. Ideally, EPR is recognised as an incentive for producers to take into account environmental considerations when designing their products, resulting in preventing waste at the source through better product design, technology development and incorporation of green design and effective waste management schemes into overall production arrangements [13,18,19]. Therefore, it can be argued that EPR is a market-based scheme, as producers internalise the costs of externalises and that it is considered as a "next generation" environmental policy that hinges on market incentives rather than traditional command-and-control obligations [19].…”

Integrated and Consolidated Review of Plastic Waste Management and Bio-Based Biodegradable Plastics: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a policy initiative where the producer is given responsibility for their products from cradle to grave, thus shifting the burden from municipalities [217,218]. In other words, the producer is accountable for financially and/or physically treating, recycling, or disposing of products at the end of their life [217].…”

“…Therefore, EPR seeks to ensure that products are produced and managed in a sustainable manner, consequently reducing their impact on the environment. This encourages producers to design their products with end of life management methods in mind [218], for example by manufacturing durable, recyclable, or reusable products [219]. EPR may either be on a voluntary basis or mandatory [217].…”