Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) supply chains

by CorpSeed Pvt Ltd Environment | Compliance | Finance

The devices for the separate collection of household and similar waste concern a large number of used products in India, and are organized into sectors. These devices have also applied to certain professional waste.

The context of EPR

In India, the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR) has existed in law since 1975 and is codified of the environment code.

“Producers, importers and distributors of these products or of the elements and materials used in their manufacture may be required to provide or contribute to the elimination of the waste originating there from.”

The first national chain and regulated extended producer responsibility has been established for the collection of household packaging in 1992. Similar arrangements were then introduced to other products such as used batteries, papers, electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), etc.

What is EPR?

Within the framework of the REP, manufacturers, distributors for products of their own brands, importers, who place waste generating products on the market, must take charge, in particular financially, of the management of this waste.

Although based on the individual responsibility of the producer, the REP can be provided by the marketers individually or collectively, through an Eco-organization.

The REP industries have proven their usefulness for the prevention and treatment of waste from certain types of products.

What are the objectives of EPR?

There are three main objectives for sectors with extended producer responsibility:

Develop the recycling of certain waste and increase the recycling performance of this waste;

Free local authorities from all or part of the waste management costs and transfer funding from the taxpayer to the consumer;

Internalize the costs of managing this product once used in the sale price of the new product in order to encourage manufacturers to engage in an eco-design approach.

What are the sectors at REP?

In India, there are around twenty Extended Producer Responsibility sectors, the implementation of which has been carried out gradually.

Within the framework of the Circular Economy Roadmap published on April 25, 2018, various measures are aimed at optimizing the REP industries and proposing the creation of new industries in the sector of toys, sporting and leisure articles and DIY and gardening in order to reduce the volume of residual household waste and develop the activity of reuse and repair of these items in connection with the social and solidarity economy.