Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the term was first credited by Thomas Lindhqvist, a Swedish Economist. He introduced the idea because he believed plastic producers were being irresponsible. So he decided to do something about it as it was affecting our environment badly.
What is EPR?
Extended producer responsibility is a method for adjusting a product’s market price to account for all estimated environmental costs throughout the product’s life cycle. Currently, it is mostly used in waste management.
The reason behind EPR is a mixture of economic, environmental, and social factors. EPR helps to shift the financial burden of the waste from the government to the product’s manufacturer. Of the high demand for eco-friendly products, EPR is introduced so that plastic wastes and materials can be easily recycled. It helps to build a safe and sustainable future and it is mandatory for products to be recycled within the context of the environment.
EPR: A solution to Plastic Waste
EPR is based on the “polluter pays” principle. As EPR asks the industry owners or producers to take back products at the end of the product life, it naturally encourages the producer to design them in a way that will enhance their reusability. Incentives are also included to boost their recyclability and have a lesser effect on land and marine pollution.
Benefits of EPR:
Increasing the recyclability of products, and reducing the use of toxic components in products or recycled plastic products are all examples of extended producer responsibility. The design of plastic products is very important for the EPR system. It has a lot of toxic ingredients like composite resins. Recycling a product requires less amount of energy compared to manufacturing a raw product or material and has a lesser effect on the surrounding air and water.
EPR systems in different countries:
If EPR is implemented properly there will be various opportunities. If we look at developed countries like England, Canada, South Korea, and Japan, we can see that they have already established EPR for a wide range of plastic products. If developing countries start to establish an EPR system, it can be implemented only partially, but it will create changes like a reduction in waste management and increase the durability of reused products.
In India, EPR regulations are very new. But the government has started working on it as they have announced by the end of March’23, it is mandatory for all plastic producers, importers, and exporters to register under the EPR framework. By registering under the CPCB portal it will be easy for businesses to track and manage all EPR obligations in an efficient manner. This will help us to build a greener future for our environment and children.
Conclusion
As India has seen growth in the production of plastics and its increased consumption, EPR came into action in 2016 to reduce the production of plastic waste. EcoEx is the first digital marketplace in India to offer services for managing plastic waste, trading waste commodities, and technology consulting. In the EPR services, Ecoex deals with e-waste and plastic. EcoEx also provides technology consulting for recycling, waste-to-energy, and waste-to-oil plants. EcoEx is a plastic EPR company, that wants to build a cleaner tomorrow by promoting self-sufficiency in the waste management industry.
