​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...

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 ...

​Denmark is the one of the final countries in the EU to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging. Whilst EPR does not officially come into force in Denmark until July 2025, companies are facing obligations from 2024. So this begs the question, is your company on top of these regulations?The EPR regulations in Denmark mean that any co...

​At the end of 2023, the draft notice regarding the creation of a federal plastics registry was published in the Canada gazette for consultation. The Canadian government have stated that currently 4.4 million tonnes of plastic are thrown away annually, with only 9% currently recycled. The aim of the federal plastics registry would to be to allow the gover...

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...

​Many countries around the world have established extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws; yet to companies new to this sector, it can often be unclear what data is necessary upon complying with these regulations. Each country's EPR system varies, meaning that there are different data requirements and obligations for each, alongside many differing rep...

Waste Tracking is not a new concept – it is to monitor the movement of waste from one place to another, such as from household waste collectors to a recycling facility. It has been seen as a common mandatory requirement in lots of countries to keep the waste management process organized. Usually, waste type, waste quantity, drop-off details etc, are requi...

​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...

​We are now fast approaching the upcoming changes in Germany for anyone who places packaging onto the German market. If you are a producer/retailer who places packaging onto the German market then you will need to make sure you are compliant by 1 July 2022. If you are a producer/retailer who places electronic equipment or batteries onto the German market...

​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...

3R principles (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) have been brought up more regularly in countries' waste management policies. One of the key elements – 'Reuse', has been integrated into legislative requirements for packaging in some countries.There are three main types of requirements regarding reusable packaging:Mandatory targets for reusable packaging have been s...

​Whilst navigating the complex world of Extended Producer Responsibility it can be overwhelming for the Producer to know where to start. Lorax EPI are here to help! It starts with finding out if you are obligated to report by market; if you are obligated to report the next question is always, what data do you have? It allows you to record your packaging i...

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...

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...

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...

​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 ...

What is it?The Green Dot is a widely recognised symbol on packaging in many European Countries. The mark signifies that for that piece of packaging, a financial contribution has been paid to a national packaging recovery organisation, set up in accordance with the principles defined in the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive 94/62 and the res...

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...

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...

Maharashtra, India's second most populous state is banning certain types of disposable plastic. A plastic ban has been introduced in the state through the Maharashtra Plastic and polystyrene Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Store) Notification, 2018, which was published under the Maharashtra Non-biodegradable Garbage (Control) A...

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...

December and January is​​ a busy time of year for us at Lorax Compli​​ance Ltd. We are busy updating all the information in our database and software on the changes to extended producer responsibility schemes for packaging, WEEE, batteries an​d all other extended producer responsibility schemes such as textiles, tyre and deposit schemes. ​ ​​​ ...

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...