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...

​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...

​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...

​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...

​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...

​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...

​​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)...

​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...

​France's 2020 Circular Economy law (the Loi AGEC) has resulted in many changes to their packaging, WEEE and batteries requirements - including substantial alterations to labelling regulations.Triman and sorting instructionsFrom 1 January 2022, the Triman logo will be obligatory on all household packaging except beverage glass (currently only mandatory fo...

​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 ...

​Countries around the world either have, or are implementing producer responsibility regulations for products including packaging, batteries, tyres, antifreeze and electronics. Obligated producers need to register either with a government agency (most often the country's Environment Agency) or a producer responsibility scheme - or both! But what's invol...

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...

Following an amendment to Turkey's Environmental Act (link in Turkish) that came into force on January 1, 2020, certain products are now subject to a Recycling Contribution Fee (GEKAP).The GEKAP has been introduced to help reduce waste, by obliging producers to pay a fee proportionate to the weight of the products they place on the market. Affected produ...

​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,...

​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...

​On 20 June, the Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 of the European Parliament and of the Council on market surveillance and compliance of products, was published. The new legislation prohibits products from being placed on the market in the EU unless the producer has an economic operator established in the EU. The aim of the Regulation is to prevent free riders f...

​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. ...

​Earlier this year, Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) Program announced a ‘fee holiday' until the wind up of the program, on June 30th, 2020, due to a surplus of funds collected. It has just been announced that the Ministry of Environment, Parks and Recreation issued an amendment to the wind up date, which means the program will now end on 31st Decembe...

​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...

​From May 1, 2019 WEEE scope is being extended to passive equipment such as cables, sockets, plugs, switches, aerials and busbars in Germany. The new rule is only of relevance to end-equipment designed for operation with a maximum alternating voltage (AC) of 1,000 volts or a maximum direct voltage (DC) of 1,500 volts. Passive devices belong to categories ...

In Ontario the e-waste stewardship program is being wound-up and is set to cease by 30th June, 2020. This is due to the transition of the current program to a circular economy regime. During the running of the e-waste program, Ontario Electronic Stewardship collects and remits HTS on the fees charged to the stewards. Due to charging eco-fees to consumers...

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment is currently holding consultations with stakeholders in the electronics / electrical equipment and batteries sector regarding the approaching circular economy regulation for EEE and batteries (and their packaging). The consultation ends on 6th February and will focus on the key decisions affecting industry as part o...

The EU WEEE Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU) introduced a number of changes to the original Directive (Directive 2002/96/EC), including an 'Open Scope' of 6 revised categories instead of the previous 10, which according to the Directive are to be introduced from 15 August 2018. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive, which was made an EU ...

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 ...

Following a consultation with Yukoners and information from established systems in other Canadian jurisdictions, the Government has announced it will make amendments to the Designated Materials Regulation to increase recycling and waste diversion. The amended regulation and any associated obligations for producers will come into full effect on October 1st...

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...

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...

Our new website is launching today…May the 4th….which means our techy folk at Lorax Compliance thought it deserved a Star Wars themed unveiling. And what is more Star Wars than a lightsaber? Even humble Jedi should be aware of their environmental implications and as a product with a unique supply chain, lightsaber manufactures are often unsure of their ex...

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...

Lorax Compliance are attending Edie Live on 22-23 May, 2018, at the NEC in Birmingham. Edie Live aims to show you how to achieve a sustainable future. The event is tailor made to fit the needs of sustainability, energy and resource professionals. It offers seminars, workshops and advice clinics. At the event Lorax Compliance will be offering free 121 advi...

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 ...

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...

​As with other EU countries, on 15 August numerous legislative changes to the German WEEE Act ElektroG will come into force. This blog aims to inform you of the changes and if you need to act. From 15 August 2018 Open Scope will be applicable in Germany under ElektroG, from this time all electrical and electronic equipment will fall into scope of the WEEE...

ERA is a battery and WEEE compliance scheme in Austria. The scheme covers household and industrial WEEE and requires either monthly, quarterly or annual reports depending on the producer's annual fee. Submission dates:Monthly: 10th of the second month after the one being reported. Q4: 10th February 2018. Annual: 31st March 2018. Changes: Fees changed i...

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. ​ ​​​ ...

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...

Currently in the UK, electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and WEEE are categorised and reported under 14 categories which comprises of 10 compulsory categories and 4 subcategories. The EU WEEE Directive (Directive 2012/19/EU) introduced a number of changes to the original Directive (Directive 2002/96/EC), inclu​ding an 'Open Scope' of 6 revised categ...

​The Electronic Equipment Recycling and Reuse Act requires manufacturers who sell covered electronic equipment​ (CEE) in New York to provide a convenient system for collecting, handling and recycling or reusing electronic waste. The law, signed in on 28th May 2010, prohibited consumers from throwing out e-waste in their normal rubbish bins. Manufac...

Obligations and reporting thresholds for packaging, WEEE and battery schemes vary from scheme to scheme and country to country. Obligation thresholds are more typically implemented through packaging waste legislation and reporting thresholds can be seen in p​​ackaging, WEEE and battery legislation. However, many countries have not implemented thresholds a...

This afternoon at 15.15 the EU Council announced that they have reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a proposal for the revision of the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) Directive. Just last week on the 14 June we reported that the Council had agreed its negotiat...

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a global issue and no longer contained in regulation within the EU. Latin America has recently seen a surge in EPR style legislation being implemented and many countries are in various stages of development of EPR regulations, Chile is no exception. Today's blog focusses on what you should be doing if you sell cer...

​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...

The EU's focus on resource preservation and reuse has put manufacturers under increasing pressure over the past two decades to meet strict legislative requirements on environmental reporting. This has created a tricky path for producers to navigate as reporting requirements differ in each country. Depending on the size of your company, you could have come...

​As we approach the holiday season, the last thing anyone wants to think about are Waste (packaging/WEEE/battery) submission deadlines coming up in the New Year. Compliance teams will be using the first few weeks back from the holidays to frantically collect together sales data, product data, materials and weights, as well as, remember what was done a yea...

WEEE Legislation has been active in India since 2011, however an update in October has made some changes to their e-waste (management) rules. Read our blog to ensure you have all the information on the changes and to keep yourselves compliant. What is it? On October 1 2016 E-Waste (Management) Rules 2016 came into force in India. The previous E-Waste Mana...

​Germany transposed the WEEE recast in October 2015 through ElektroG2. The law allowed for certain obligations to be phased in. As of Monday 25 July the take back obligation for traders of waste electrical equipment entered into force. The obligation to take back applies to both retailers and online traders with a sales or shipping/storage space of >40...

The EU's focus on resource preservation and reuse has put manufacturers under increasing pressure over the past two decades to meet strict legislative requirements on environmental reporting. However, the compliance process can be a tricky path to navigate – especially when reporting requirements differ in each country.Manufacturers across Europe have bee...

Are you aware of the penalties in place for non-compliance with producer responsibility legislation not just in the UK but across the EU?The Environment Agency today published information regarding Babz Media Ltd, who have been ordered to pay £45,500 in fines and £8,724.98 in costs for non-compliance with packaging, WEEE and batteries legislation. A first...