ecoveritas has launched a new global research and data management service to support brands, retailers and manufacturers understand their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations in all countries where these businesses operate.
With EPR increasingly becoming a key environmental policy for national and local governments around the world, one of the major challenges faced by companies is ensuring compliance on an international scale. The new Global EPR Research and Data Management Service incorporates a range of actions and processes to help packaging producers reduce costs, save time and improve their compliance programmes.
The service also includes a packaging EPR regulation matrix covering more than 60 countries. The matrix provides instant access to information about packaging EPR legislation, recycling labelling, voluntary schemes and much more for a particular country. Updated on a quarterly basis, with new countries being added continually, the matrix quickly allows businesses to establish in which countries they have liability. The matrix can be extended to cover any EPR schemes such as textiles, waste electricals, batteries, based on your business needs.
David Harding-Brown, CEO, ecoveritas commented, “We recognise that with many different EPR programmes in existence globally, it is not easy for companies to understand their obligations. We have developed this new service to help businesses navigate the ever-changing regulations and pinpoint who is responsible in each geographic region, how they are responsible, and the actions required to support the circular economy.”
EPR is a policy approach where producers are given a significant responsibility – both financial and physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. Assigning such responsibility in principle provides incentives to prevent waste at the source, promote product design for the environment and support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals.
“Many businesses are facing big data challenges when it comes to understanding their compliance obligations for a geographic region,” added Harding-Brown. “While some countries request none, or limited, data and financial contributions relating to packaging EPR, others often require detailed data submissions relating to packaging placed on the market. This means if you don’t have the required data, or it is not detailed enough, there could be large cost implications at stake. With the European Directive on packaging and packaging waste requiring all member states to implement EPR for all packaging by the end of 2024, it is clear that European EPR policies are only going to become more complex.”
He concludes, “Whether manufacturing products in the UK, or wanting to export to Spain, Kenya or Brazil, for example, our service can assist by identifying potential threats, risks, emerging issues and opportunities within each region. The service has been designed to help brands, retailers and their packaging manufacturers flourish in a circular economy.”
