What is EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy that makes producers responsible for the environmentally sound management and disposal of their eligible products that they introduce in the market at the end of their respective life cycles.
Extended Producer Responsibility is also referred to as EPR.
What is Plastic Packaging EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the concept that brands, plastic packaging producers and importers should take responsibility for the plastic they put into a market across its entire lifecycle.
What is the significance of Plastic Packaging EPR?
- Plastic Pollution is a significant global environmental issue.
- With EPR, product manufacturers bear the financial weight of waste management instead of taxpayers or municipal governments.
- Global manufacturers, governments, and consumers must work together to address the issue of plastic pollution.
Implementation of EPR for Plastic Packaging.
- The Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) regime is being implemented in the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 to ensure the processing of plastic packaging waste.
- The concept of Plastic EPR was introduced under the Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016), the formal frameworks were introduced in 2020 with the draft EPR Policy released in October 2021.
- A new directive on EPR plastics was published on February 16, 2022, and is still in force.
Which entities shall register on the centralized portal developed by CPCB?
- Producer (P)
- Referred to an entity engaged in the production of plastic packaging goods/articles
- Importer (I)
- Referred to an entity who imports plastic packaging or a product with plastic packaging or plastic bags.
- Brand Owner (BO)
- Means a person or company who sells any commodity under a registered brand label or trademark.
- Plastic Waste Processor (PWP)
- Means individual or companies engaged in recycling, waste to energy, waste to oil and industrial composting.
What are the Categories of plastic packaging under EPR?
- Category I: Rigid plastic packaging
- Category II: Flexible plastic packaging including single or multilayer plastic sheets, covers, carry bags, sachets, or pouches.
- Category III: Multi-layered plastic packaging (at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of material other than plastic)
- Category IV: Plastic sheet or like used for packaging as well as carry bags made of compostable plastics.
- Category V: Biodegradable Plastics
- *The introduction of biodegradable plastic into EPR was reported in the Plastic Waste Management Gazette Notification 2022.
What are the types of plastic packaging waste as per the EPR Compliance or Policy?
- Pre-Consumer Plastic Packaging Waste: The term “pre-consumer plastic packaging waste” refers to waste produced during a product’s packaging, including reject and discard, and waste produced during the manufacturing stage. This includes waste produced before the product’s end user receives the plastic packaging.
- Post-Consumer Plastic Packaging Waste: It is regarded as plastic packaging waste produced by the consumer of the product after the packaging has served its original purpose and is no longer being utilized.
