The Importance Of EPR In Reducing Plastic Waste Pollution

Around the world, over 460 million metric tons of plastic is being manufactured annually for a wide range of products. More than half of this amount ends up being littered or dumped into landfills. Since plastic is made up of complex material and is a non-biodegradable substance, it stays in the environment for hundreds of years.

Plastic remains a major driver of ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss and a crucial element in accelerating the climate crisis. Microplastics are reportedly being found in human blood, foods, and beverages. Carcinogenic chemicals found in certain plastic products are increasingly seeping into the soil, giving rise to food insecurity and water pollution.

To tackle all these issues, the government institutionalized the Extended Producer Responsibility Plastic Waste framework. The major objective was to decrease plastic pollution in the ecosystem by encouraging plastic producers to take responsibility for their products throughout their life cycles.

Let’s understand in detail how EPR plays a pivotal role in addressing the negative effects of plastic on the environment.

Key Aspects of Extended Producer Responsibility

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a strategic concept that legally binds various stakeholders to create environment-friendly products. This approach aims to combat plastic pollution by encouraging positive changes in each phase of production, commencing from the sourcing of raw materials to entry into the market.

Extended Producer Responsibility plastic waste guidelines involve:

● Management of Post-Consumer Plastic Waste: EPR assigns the responsibility of effective management of plastic waste from the government to PIBOs (Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners). These PIBOs are legally obligated to manage plastic waste when it is no more of use and about to be discarded by the consumers. For this, they set up a comprehensive collection centre or tie-up with plastic waste processing agencies. Further, EPR rules also mandate producers to recycle and reuse their products.
● EPR Compliance: Compliance with EPR norms demonstrates the ethical waste management efforts of the producers. Upon registration at CPCB’s centralized EPR portal, producers are expected to establish a waste collection system, disposal techniques, and recycling facilities. To avoid violation, entities must meet their recycling goals and annually submit their reports and certificates.
● Brand Owners: Brand owners include supermarkets, retail chains, online platforms, marketplaces, etc. They can be a company or an individual engaged in the selling and purchase of products under a trademark or brand name. These entities are not the actual producers of the products but source a product and sell under their own distinct brand name. BOs are also mandated to follow EPR Waste Compliance For Plastic Waste, including EPR targets.

Note: Micro and small companies under brand owners are exempted from EPR obligation fulfilment.

What are the Types of Extended Producer Responsibility?

India has implemented several types of EPR framework, including Extended Producer Responsibility plastic waste, where each targets a specific waste material. These are as follows:

● EPR for E-Waste: Extended Producer Responsibility for electronic waste addresses producers, importers, and brand owners that deal with EEE (Electrical and electronic equipment). EEE includes washing machines, mobile phones, computers, refrigerators, etc.
● EPR for Battery Waste Management: This EPR applies to manufacturers, importers, refurbishers, and recyclers of all types of batteries except those used in military, security instruments, and space equipment. Waste batteries include end-of-life batteries, their components or spares, batteries that are past their appropriate usage date, and those that have been discarded by the users.
● EPR for Tyre Waste Management: The framework applies to producers and importers of various types of tyres, including truck and car tyres. Compliance with these norms commences with registration on the CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) portal. This EPR emphasizes on responsible management of tyre waste through collection, transportation, treatment, recycling, and scrapping to be performed in accordance with environmental standards.
● Extended Producer Responsibility Plastic Waste: It covers producers, importers, brand owners (PIBOs) and plastic waste processors (PWPs). Plastic packaging materials under the norm include plastic bags, bottles, wrappers, etc. It obligates these entities to create responsible and environmentally sound plastic waste management mechanisms, involving recycling, reuse, and safe disposal practices. Thus, it becomes important to Meet EPR Targets and Manage Plastic Waste Effectively.

The following laws govern the different types of EPR:

● E-Waste management rules.
● Plastic waste management rules.
● Hazardous and other wastes (management and transboundary movement) amendment rules.
● Battery waste management rules.

How does EPR Mitigate Environmental Risks?

Extended Producer Responsibility plastic waste, e-waste, tyre waste, and battery waste framework helps nations protect their environment by reducing pollution, preventing resource depletion, and curbing waste pollution, among others. The Role of EPR in Sustainable Plastic Waste Management is extremely important for the following reasons:
● Reuse and Recycling: According to an OECD report, South Korea witnessed a 70% hike in recycling rates due to EPR implementation. The EPR norms motivate PIBOs to establish collection centres and take-back mechanisms for their products. This led to a rise in reuse and recycling, enabling the economy to smoothly transition to a circular one.
● Waste Reduction: In the European Union, the EPR framework has led to a 50% reduction in plastic waste going to landfills. EPR supports the end-of-life collection of plastic products and thus ensures its environmentally sound treatment. This leads to the creation of minimal waste as virgin plastic is avoided and processed plastic is used back into the system.
● Use of Recycled Material: EPR sets forward rules for attaining minimum levels of plastic that need to be recycled in the given year. For instance, the government set a minimum level of recycling at 30-50% of EPR for the year 2024-25. The usage of recycled plastic as a raw material for other products diverts the waste from landfills and oceans to processing units and creates fewer new plastics.
● Save Energy Use: By encouraging producers to implement eco-friendly products, EPR For Plastic Packaging Waste ensures that minimal plastic is extracted, helping businesses save energy consumption. This will limit resource depletion and help the nation channel these resources into other productive areas.
● Reduce Emissions: A large amount of fossil fuels like petroleum, coal, and natural gas is extracted, transported, and then refined into plastic. The entire process causes substantial greenhouse gas emissions, which are being fuelled further by the growing demand for plastic products. In this scenario, EPR minimize emissions by reducing the requirement of new material and promoting recycling.
● Reduce Incineration: Plastic incineration, which is the burning of plastic, creates a negative impact on human health and the environment. It releases toxic pollutants like furans, dioxins, and other harmful chemicals. EPR aims to eliminate this by promoting effective recycling and collection programs.

Extended Producer Responsibility in the Indian Context

Extended Producer Responsibility Plastic Waste framework is an approach aiming to make producers financially responsible for the entire life cycle of their products. This way it applies the ‘polluter-pay’ principle where those who pollute should pay for its managing costs.

India’s journey towards EPR implementation has been adaptive and gradual. It has spurred innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of waste collection, recycling, and disposal. The introduction of penalties has further strengthened the strategic approach which still has some space for improvement in the areas of monitoring and enforcement.

In India, EPR primarily focuses on addressing plastic waste and e-waste which are two major polluters and waste generators in the economy. The key purpose of EPR in India is to reduce the social and environmental impact of this waste which is estimated at million tonnes every year.

Further, EPR in India wishes to integrate the informal sector as a legitimate stakeholder in the EPR ecosystem. EPR Plastic Waste Rules promotes issuing certificates or permits to collectors, waste pickers, traders, and recyclers in the informal economy. For this, the authorities are trying to enhance capacity-building programs like skill development and training programs. The whole idea is to facilitate market linkage, reduce environmental impacts, promote sustainability, and foster a more equitable and inclusive waste management system.

Conclusion

By encouraging manufacturers and producers to adopt environmentally friendly practices and assume responsibility for the impact created by their products, EPR pave the way to a cleaner and ecologically sound planet and future. Implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility plastic waste marks a pivotal shift from a linear to a circular economy. The multifaceted approach encourages the development of eco-friendly goods and aims to integrate management costs into the pricing of the product.

Strategic Approaches to EPR Compliance for Plastic Waste have instilled a sense of responsibility and accountability among PIBOs and established a market mechanism where EPR certificates are seamlessly traded and transferred. The Scope of EPR for Plastic Packaging Waste is vast where various stakeholders connect and form an effective waste management network.

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