Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a system of environmental management where producers are directly responsible for the environmental impacts of their products. EPR has been implemented in Europe since 2006 and is regulated by Directive 2004/12/EC. The directive requires member states to implement the EPR system by 2012. The aim of this article is to introduce the extended producer responsibility system as well as its advantages and disadvantages.
Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a term that refers to the concept of holding companies responsible for the environmental costs of their products. In reality, EPR can take several forms and be applied at different stages in the product life cycle. It can include:
- Producer responsibility: the producer takes responsibility for a portion or all of the costs related to managing a product at the end of its useful life. For example, producers may be required to finance recycling facilities or pay for transport costs associated with disposal.
- Product stewardship: The producer is responsible for designing and producing products in an environmentally-friendly way from inception onward as well as ensuring that they are disposed of safely at the end of their lives (i.e., there is no “away”). This approach is prevalent in Europe where it has been implemented through legislation such as Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE), which requires manufacturers to finance collection and treatment solutions for small electrical devices such as mobile phones or laptops.
Environmental labelling is a tool that helps consumers identify products that have been designed with consideration for the environment. It is an alternative to eco-modulation, which involves adjusting product characteristics to reduce their environmental impact.
Environmental labelling was popularized by the European Union in 1992 when it issued its Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste. This directive created a system for identifying products based on their environmental properties, such as recyclability and toxicity. The following year, Canada amended its Hazardous Products Regulations so that manufacturers had to display environmental labels if requested by retailers or customers, however, these labels were not mandatory for other producers at this time (Ecological Options Network). In conclusion, we can say that the development of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and environmental labelling has a great potential for the future. The new solutions are oriented toward more sustainable production, but also towards better cooperation between actors in the recycling chain. This will allow us to work together in order to create a greener lifestyle
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