​A study in Science Advances has revealed a direct correlation between plastic production by consumer goods companies and environmental plastic pollution, indicating that a 1% increase in production results in a 1% increase in pollution. Southeast Asia dominates the list of the highest plastic polluters, with six out of the top ten countries located in th...

​Latvia has amended its Natural Resource Tax by establishing a tax on plastics that are typically not recycled in Latvia. Starting from 1st October 2024, any taxable person responsible for packaging made entirely or partially of non-recyclable plastic (polymeric) materials will be subject to this tax. The tax was introduced in response to the European Uni...

​Whilst Canada is renowned for its Rocky Mountains, poutine, and grizzly bears, it has also gained international recognition for its commitment to product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR). Every two years, people gather at the Canadian Stewardship Conference to explore the latest in stewardship and EPR practices in Canada.This year, ...

​The Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 (SB 707) is California's latest effort to tackle the increasing problem of textile waste. The act establishes a framework to manage the lifecycle of textiles, encouraging recycling, repair, and reuse to prevent millions of tons of post-consumer textile waste from ending up in landfills. With fast fashion contr...

​Approximately 85% of plastic packaging worldwide ends up in landfill rather than recycling. This is why EPR is so important, to make sure producers make more effort to ensure their packaging ends up in recycling. EPR stands for Extended Producer Responsibility. It is a policy approach where producers must take responsibility for their products throughout...

The US Plastics Pact is a voluntary initiative based on the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's global commitment. This pact involves cooperation between businesses, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations to drive the transition towards a circular economy for plastics by reducing waste, improving recycling, and redesigning plastic packaging. Previously...

​In a world increasingly conscious of its environmental impact, everyday packaging has come under scrutiny. Australia, like many other nations, faces a crucial decision point. Data from the government-backed 2025 APCO targets indicate that, despite progress, Australia is not on track to meet its goals for sustainable packaging. A 2021 review further revea...

In a previous Lorax EPI blog from January, we stated that textile EPR reporting requirements would come into effect on 1st July 2024 in Latvia. This has now happened - this blog explains what you need to do to comply with textile EPR regulations in Latvia.Parties who place textile products onto the Latvian market for the first time. Companies must either ...

​In the ever-changing world of environmental regulations, businesses grapple with the dual challenge of compliance and sustainability. That's where Lorax EPI steps in. We're more than just a consultancy firm; we're your partners in addressing these complex issues head-on.We dive deep into your existing data infrastructure, identifying areas where addition...

​You may have heard of the term 'Recyclability Assessment' through various voluntary Green initiatives but have you realized this has been making its way into the EPR regulations? Let's delve deeper into what this means for your packaging obligations.What is a Recyclability Assessment?A Recyclability Assessment involves a thorough evaluation of packaging ...

​If you are a producer of goods in Kenya, there is a crucial question you need to ask yourself: Have you registered your products and associated packaging in accordance with the latest environmental regulations? The passage of the plastic bag ban in 2017 and enactment last year of section 13 of the Sustainable Waste Management Act No. 31 of 2022 framework...

​Maine is one of the first states to begin implementing packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. This law requires brands and packaging industry players to take financial responsibility for materials in the state's recycling system. Currently, four states are actively working to set up the operational framework for these programs.Main...

​As Extended Producer Responsibility ('EPR') regulations evolve and expand, it can be hard to keep up with the requirements and obligations. A solid data management process is essential to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. In this blog post, we will discuss some of the best practices and tips for managing your EPR data effectively, through these 6 st...

If you're a business owner in the UK selling packaged products, you're likely aware of the ongoing packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reform. The EPR reform introduces extra layers of complexity to the existing packaging policies. In this article, we're here to provide you with clear information to help you navigate it effectively. The funda...

​Introducing a 5-part mini-blog series, dedicated to helping you understand what EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) is, where it came from and how best to comply. As a business owner, you may be wondering how the new regulations on plastic packaging will affect your operations and costs. In this blog post, we will explain what Extended Producer Respon...

Whilst navigating the complex world of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) it can be overwhelming for the producer to keep up to date with legislative and reporting requirements. Lorax EPI are here to help!Following on from my blog post 'Why Data is King', keeping on top of your legal obligations for EPR reporting can be a challenge. The information th...

Canada has always been a pioneer in the establishment of the EPR model. As early as 2009, the Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility was approved and adopted into the Canadian Waste Management Strategy. Provincial and territorial governments have been taking active progress in the EPR/Stewardship implementation since the national pla...

​Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging has seen rapid growth in the United States over the last 2 years. Four states have already passed EPR legislation, with seventeen more states having proposed EPR bills during their 2022 legislative sessions. The perspective of EPR in the United States is centred on the financials of waste management, t...

​This year has been groundbreaking for extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation in the United States. On June 3rd this year, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed House Bill 22-1355 into law, joining California, Oregon and Maine as the first four US states to pass this form of legislation.Colorado's EPR law affects producers of packaging and cert...

​EPR legislation, SB54 or the Plastic Producer Responsibility Act, was signed by Governor Newsom into law on 30th June 2022. The bill requires that businesses in California take responsibility to pay for the cost associated with the recovery of materials they sell in the state.SB54 passing has kept the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act, a plastics fee ballo...

​EU waste framework directive (amended 2018) introduced the modulation of the financial contribution to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. This minimises waste packaging generation and incentivises the designs with better recyclability and sustainability. In other words, if your packaging is easier to be collected and recycled in the local i...

​On 10 January 2022, the Vietnamese Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment posted a new decree as part of the Law on Environmental Protection. This has given essential updates to aspects of the law with which many companies may find themselves needing to be compliant, as EPR regulations begin to come into force from 2024.The biggest change to t...

​To tackle the plastics waste pollution and establish a circular economy, the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has imposed mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility on Plastic packaging. The requirements were laid down in 'Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility for Plastic Packaging' published on 16th February 2022. It's ...

​Extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Russia is governed by two main bodies: the Russian government and the Eurasian Economic Union, or EAEU. Member States of the EAEU include Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, and regulations made by this body affect all affiliated countries. The main EPR system in Russia is set by the Russian gove...

​The Middle East and Africa (MEA) have historically been smaller producers of waste. However, this is all beginning to change, as many areas within the region are beginning to rapidly urbanize and grow. In some of the higher income Middle Eastern countries, waste production per capita can be up to 2kg per day. In Sub-Saharan Africa, annual waste generatio...

​In November 2020, South Africa passed new regulations to provide framework for implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations. According to the law, packaging producers must become financially responsible for the take-back of the packaging they place on the market.The regulations were then amended in January 2021 to extend the deadlines ...

​Countries around the world are considering the best way to fund waste management. It is becoming increasingly common for governments to believe that producers should finance the significant majority of the costs of waste management - but should this be through a plastics tax or extended producer responsibility (EPR) fees - and what's the difference?Some...

​​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.This blog focuses on Europe - where the concept of EPR first really took hold in the 1990s. The majority of European countries (whether or not members of the EU)...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Currently, EPR legislation in Latin America is in its early stages. Some countries have passed EPR framework, allowing for more formal regulations to be introduced...

Under a regulation from the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act of 2016, which was recently approved, producers of packaging and printed paper in Ontario will be required to assume full financial and operational responsibility for collecting, managing and financing designated materials, which up until now only required producers to contribute 50% f...

This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility​ (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Due to the uneven social and economic development in the Asia Pacific region (APAC), the EPR legislation progress in APAC presents a large variety. This post will ...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep-dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.At this time, minimal mandatory packaging EPR exists in Africa, though some countries are now entering the early stages of implementing such regulations. With Sout...

This article was updated on 11th August.On 12th July, Maine's governor signed a bill to establish a statewide packaging EPR program into law. Weeks later, on 6th August, a bill for packaging, printed paper and food service ware EPR passed into law in Oregon. This means that the first packaging extended producer responsibility schemes will soon come into f...

​This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility​ (EPR) regulations on a global scale.Due to the uneven social and economic developments​​, the EPR legislation progress in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) presents a large variety. This post will give...

This article was updated on 26th August 2021.This blog is part of a wider series from Lorax EPI, taking a deep-dive into the current and future landscapes for packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations on a global scale.When it comes to packaging EPR in North America, legislation tends to be regionally focused rather than nationally capt...

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) was first introduced ​in the 1990s.​ The main objectives of EPR legislation are typically to ensure that the cost of waste management is covered by the businesses that are producing the waste, and to incentivise good environmental design decisions.​ Packaging EPR is becoming ​increasingly common​ around the world, w...

​Virtually every EPR compliance scheme in the world requires some form of regular reporting - maybe only once a year, but potentially every month. Some reports are relatively simple, but others can be significantly more complicated. So what information do schemes want?At the most basic level, schemes need the same information:Number/type of product plac...

Lorax EPI is pleased to be involved in endorsing the position statement released by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation today (15th June) for packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).It has become clear that we need a circular economy for packaging materials in which they never become waste or litter in our environment. Packaging that cannot be elimina...

The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive, which was passed by the EU Commission in May 2019, enacts bans on certain single-use products, recycled content targets for some plastics and measures to reduce plastic food and beverage containers. It also requires Member States to ensure that national laws mandate new labels for sanitary towels, wet wipes, tobacco f...

​Countries (and regions) around the world are considering how best to reduce packaging waste. Typically, they are applying one or more of three options: bans, EPR fees or taxes and ​levies. A ban is straight-forward enough, but what's the difference between EPR fees, taxes and the EU plastics levy?EPR feesA fee paid to cover the cost of waste management...

​Like many topics, the concept of extended producer responsibility comes with an often confusing range of acronyms and highly specific terminology. But what does it all mean? In this post, we look at some of the most frequently used terms and phrases.​Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)The concept of producers being responsible for the waste generate...

Last week, the Lorax EPI team gave a workshop on global packaging EPR developments as part of the Sustainability in Packaging US 2021 Conference. Our presenters took some time to investigate the true costs of packaging extended producer responsibility on a per-capita and per-product basis as well as discuss major changes in worldwide EPR programs that wil...

On 15th March 2021, the New York Senate Majority passed its one-house budget resolution. While most of the proposal is focused on providing emergency aid to help the state recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, it also includes initiatives that prioritise environmental justice and pollution reduction. Specifically, the Senate Majority one-house State Budget ...

​In many countries around the world, producers must pay levies on all product packaging and on the products they sell. These levies, or extended producer responsibility (EPR) funding, is to build infrastructure for collecting materials to be recycled.Packaging levies started in Germany in the early 1990s with der Grüne Punkt (or Green Dot) and quickly spr...

Lorax EPI is dedicated to simplifying global sustainability. Brand owners, retailers, manufacturers, producers and other industry professionals rely on our in-house software and international team of consultants to comply with wide-ranging stewardship obligations, keep ahead of legislation and advance their sustainability goals. One of the main ways our c...

​While many clients rely on Lorax EPI for our cloud-based EPR software to assist with legal product stewardship reporting obligations, we have been getting more and more inquiries for our environmental consulting services recently. EPR legislation differs from country to country (and sometimes province to province), making regulatory compliance a complex ...

Having been the world's main recipient of plastic waste for thirty years, China banned the import of most residential waste in 2017 (reducing imports from 581,000 metric tonnes in February 2017 to just 23,900 metric tonnes in February 2018). This has had a significant impact on other countries around the world, which are having to find alternative method...

​​Eco-modulation is a concept which is being talked about (and implemented) increasingly frequently by governments and stewardship/EPR schemes. But what is it? At the most basic level, eco-modulation is the concept of penalising the use of materials that are less environmentally friendly, and rewarding the use of those which are better - for example, thr...

​France has just introduced extensive new legislation ​(link in French) on waste management and the circular economy (the concept of ​​​designing the economy to minimise waste and pollution and to keep resources in circulation). Among many other measures, the new legislation introduces additional EPR schemes for products including waste from food vendors,...

​The UK Government is trying again to get its Environment Bill passed into UK law.The Bill introduces a wide range of measures, including the establishment of a new Office for Environmental Protection, changes to the current system of producer responsibility and the ability to impose charges for single use plastic items (e.g. disposable cups) in addition ...

​The Republic of Korea has published an amendment ​to its Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling Resources (link in Korean), in reaction to China's ban on imports of foreign waste which has resulted in local waste collection companies refusing to collect certain types of refuse. As a result of the amendment, companies operating in Korea must underta...

​Did you know that new regulations on​ WEEE and packaging will come into effect in Singapore from 2020? The Resource Sustainability Act 2019 will affect companies operating in Singapore who produce or import electronic and electrical equipment (including batteries), as well as those who supply goods in packaging.​Obligated companies will need to register...

At the end of September Lorax Compliance reached 5 years in business and we celebrated the occassion by welcoming all of our new US colleagues to the UK for a company-wide meeting. It was a busy week full of team building exercises, staff training and sessions to share our knowledge and expertise and it was wonderful to get to know our new colleagu...

​Nigeria's e-waste production has increased​ by 170% from 2009 to 2017, with a generation of 290,000 tonnes in 2017. In addition to this, Nigeria receives shipments of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) from abroad. 60,000 tonnes of WEEE are shipped into the country through Lagos ports alone, according to United Nations University research. ...

​Yesterday, the 'Proposed draft decree establishing goals of collection and recycling and associated packaging obligations' was published in Chile's Diario Oficial (official newspaper). The Draft Bill has been published for public consultation and would introduce the polluter pays principle alongside the hierarchy of waste management. Studies conducted by...

​Extended producer responsibility (EPR) is a concept which is used globally. It is introduced into countries through legislation or in some cases, voluntary schemes. EPR has been well established in Europe for many years. PrincipleEPR is the principle that producers are obligated for end-of-life waste management of the products and/or packaging they plac...

​As always, the Edie Live conference at the National Exhibition Centre was full of interesting and topical talks and debates. The main themes included single-use plastics and how to reduce these in addition to the need for introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR) so producers take on the cost and responsibility of packaging and packaging was...

​EPR legislation have been proposed in both Washington State and Indiana. If the Bills are passed, producers in the states will become responsible for the end-of-life packaging waste created from the products they place on the market. Washington StateIn Washington State, the Senate Bill 5397 would make producers responsible for the design and management ...

Following our last blog covering EPR updates in South America, we have more news to keep you up to speed. There has been further development in EPR legislation alongside many single-use plastic restrictions. In Brazil, we see the further development of the National Solid Waste Policy. A new Chamber of Deputies Bill No. 11186/2018 would make amendments to...

The French household packaging compliance scheme, Citeo, has announced updates to reporting for 2019 data which will be submitted in 2020. There are changes to the bonus and penalty system and a simplified return for the consumer sales unit statement which has been phased in over the past couple of years. For 2019 data, the tariffs for the sectoral decla...

An extended producer responsibility obligation for non-packaging products exists in Slovakia in addition to the obligation for EEE, batteries and accumulators, packaging, vehicles and pneumatic tyres. Non- packaging products belong to one of the following groups of products which will become a part of municipal waste:Articles of plastics consisting of pol...

Today, 18th December, the UK Government has launched their long-awaited Resourses and Waste Strategy (RWS) as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan. In the Plan, the Government pledged to leave the environment in a better condition for the next generation, the RWS will be implemented to meet this commitment by becoming a world leader in using resources eff...

Changes will be introduced for the Italian packaging scheme, Conai, from January 1st 2019. There will be diversification for polylaminated packaging suitable for containing liquids, such as containers used for fruit juices, milk and preserves. Compared to the environmental contribution for paper and cardboard packaging of €20.00 per ton, the additional c...

There have been changes announced by Finnish packaging scheme, Rinki, to their packaging declaration to be introduced from 1st January 2019, to be applied to 2018 data. These include exclusion of deposit packaging, separate reporting of conventional and biodegradable plastic packaging and more specific definitions for wooden packaging. Deposit packaging ...

Following our webinar last month updating you on the plastic bans and EPR progress in South America, we have seen further proposed laws in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico and Peru. Here's a quick summary of the latest news. In Argentina, two Chamber of Deputies Bills have been proposed. One would establish a program for the progres...

The majority of Lorax staff attended RWM Conference 2018 after such a positive experience in 2017. We heard from countless waste and resources experts, consultants, members of advisory committees, NGOs and an inspiring MP. Key themes of the conference included global extended producer responsibility, plastic packaging and pollution, the future of EPR and ...

The OECD published a report in June 2018, detailing the impact of online sales of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) in Europe, the United States and Canada. Online sales of EEE are now a major and growing part of retail in most OECD countries. A very significant proportion of these sales involve cross-border trade, and free-riding related to this ...

Extended producer responsibility Producers of packaging in Europe are obligated under the European Union's Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive to cover the cost of collection and recycling of packaging waste. They do this by paying a fee for the weight of packaging they place on the market in each respective country. This fee is usually paid to a pack...

Extended producer responsibility laws require producers to cover the cost of collection, recycling for the end of life of products they have placed on the market. However, some producers go above and beyond their responsibilities under the law to minimise their impact on the environment. These are just some of those industry heroes… IKEAIKEA have moved a...

On 14 June, the Official Journal of the European Union published the EU waste legislative package which includes amendments to the Directives on end-of-life vehicles; batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators; waste electrical and electronic equipment; landfill of waste; waste and packaging and packaging waste among others. These ame...

Under the provisions of the second transitory article of Law No 20,920, producers of certain priority products are obligated to report information to the Ministry of Environment. The submission date for products placed on the market last year is 31 August, under the Exempt Resolution No. 0409/2018 of the MMA. The obligation applies to producers of the fo...

Earlier this year, the Secretary of State for the Environment in the UK, Michael Gove, announced a reform of the current PRN system based on a consultation taking place later this year. Following this, there has been a lot of talk about modulated fees, which are already in place in the French and Italian packaging compliance schemes, CONAI and Citeo. Modu...

In July 2008, the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance (Cap. 603) was enacted as an umbrella legislation to put in place the shared core elements of all producer responsibility schemes (PRS) in Hong Kong. It outlines the fundamental regulatory requirements in respect of individual types of product, including operational details in the Ordinance and its su...

In Israel, the Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and Batteries Law, 2012, introduces extended producer responsibilities onto manufacturers and importers for the recycling of EEE, batteries and accumulators. The Law sets binding targets for the recycling of such products and regulates the accredited entities that take on the obligations on the beha...

Currently in India, a large quantity of e-waste is managed by the informal sector. The sector encompasses waste pickers, dismantlers, recyclers, etc. This work is unregulated and inefficient and can often cause damage to the environment. Furthermore, there can be major risks to human health as e-waste can contain toxic substances such as cadmium, lead, ar...

On 3 April, The Sao Paulo State environment agency (CETESB) issued Decision No. 076/2018/C establishing the integration of take-back requirements into the environmental permitting procedure. Manufacturers, importers, distributors and sellers of certain products may only be issued environmental operation permits after compliance with take-back regulations ...

The Decree 79/2017, of 28 December 2017, approving the Regulation on the Extended Responsibility of Producers and Importers of Packaging, was approved by the Council of Ministers and came into force on 29th December 2017. The Regulation applies to all public and private entities, natural or legal persons engaged in the production, import and management of...

Product stewardship covers producer responsibility and other government regulatory programs. Under the producer responsibility umbrella, comes voluntary programs and then mandatory programs – these are extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs. The OECD defines EPR as 'an environmental policy approach in which a producer's responsibility… for a prod...

Similar to WEEE, packaging and batteries, vehicles are subject to extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations in the EU to ensure they are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner at the end of their useful life. Producers in member states are obligated for vehicles, including their components, spare and replacement parts and materials. EUA ...

There is currently an array of changes occurring in South America in relation to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations and recycling laws. Countries such as Brazil, Chile a​nd Argentina are catching up with Europe as many new EPR Bills are proposed. ​ArgentinaIn Argentina, a Bill has been proposed to modify the Integrated Management of Househ...

​Directives, EPR and Environmental Reporting:What are EU directives?A European Union Directive is distinct from a regulation. A regulation is a binding legislative act which must be applied in its entirety across the EU. A Directive on the other hand is a legislative act that sets out a goal for all EU countries to meet through implementing their own nati...