Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recently released a draft notification proposing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging made from paper, glass, and metal, as well as sanitary products.

• About EPR: It is a policy that holds producers accountable for the environmental impact of their products throughout their lifecycle, mainly used in waste management.
• Historical Context: Paper, glass, and metal waste management was previously under the Solid Waste Management Rules.

o New EPR guidelines introduce responsibility for PIBOs (Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners) for collecting and recycling their packaging waste.

o Aims to reduce landfill burden and promote circularity in resource utilization.

• Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Recommendations for improvement: Align EPR targets with domestic recycling capacities → Expand scope to include writing and printing paper → Ensure ambitious recovery targets (95%) by 2028 → Develop quality standards for raw materials → Integrate informal waste workers into the formal system.
• Sectors in India where EPR is applied: e-waste, plastic packaging, batteries, tyres and used oil etc.