What EPR Laws Mean for Informal Waste Pickers

The world’s population is growing, and so are our landfills. People are buying, selling, and wasting more than ever, and many countries have implemented extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws to make big brands pay for the pollution their products create.?

EPR has taken off in many countries worldwide, forcing private companies to set up systems for collecting and recycling their used products and packaging. For example: returning empty Coke bottles to the retailer. ?

One of the goals of EPR is to reduce the vol of waste that ends up in landfills and promote a circular economy, but it can disrupt the waste system if it’s not done carefully. The people most vulnerable to changing EPR laws are the informal waste pickers who collect recyclables from rubbish bins and landfills. ?

The Role of Waste Pickers ?

The International Solid Waste Association estimates that about 20 million people are involved in the informal recycling sector worldwide. Waste pickers may be men, women, or even children and are usually from low-income households. They collect, sort, and sell recyclable materials to earn a living. ?

Waste pickers that retrieve recyclables from rubbish bins often sell them to general scrap dealers, who sell their materials to specialised dealers, who sell them to the recyclers. Many people who start out as waste pickers advance up this value chain over time. ?

There is limited data on the impact waste pickers have on the economy, as most of their activities are undocumented. While we don’t know the exact numbers, we know they play an important role in the waste system and that implementing EPR will affect how they operate.?

How Will Implementing EPR Affect Waste Pickers??

EPR can be beneficial or detrimental to waste pickers, depending on how it’s implemented. While most EPR laws around the world focus on the environment and the economy, few consider the social context. If EPR overlooks waste pickers it can threaten their livelihoods by introducing new systems that clash with the existing informal waste industry.?

Six Challenges Waste Pickers Face When it Comes To EPR Laws?

1. Registration fees and requirements. In many countries, EPR laws restrict the recyclers that producers can work with to fulfil their legal obligations. If waste pickers want recognition as certified recyclers they may need to purchase specific infrastructure or pay expensive registration fees. These requirements often prevent them from taking part in the EPR system.?
2. Competition. EPR can cause producers to collect and store their own packaging waste or hire private companies to do it. More people collecting recyclables means competition for waste pickers, who often can’t keep up with big corporations that take interest in a specific material. Producers working directly with recyclers cuts scrap dealers right out of the system.?
3. Complex legislation that is difficult to understand. If waste pickers don’t understand EPR laws, they won’t be able to contribute meaningfully to discussions when the government does consult them. This can prevent waste pickers from lobbying for their rights and influencing the laws that affect them most.?
4. High prices for recyclables. Many retailers run EPR schemes that offer buy-back options for used packaging and products. Unfortunately, they often price these materials unrealistically high to incentivise people to return them. Informal scrap dealers can’t compete with the money retailers offer, and many may close their doors permanently. If there is no future for scrap dealers, waste pickers have no direct way to advance up the value chain.?
5. Take-back replacing buy-back. Sometimes retailers don’t offer money for recyclables at all but give people store vouchers or rewards points instead. This approach could be problematic for waste pickers, who use recycling to pay the bills. Take-back schemes like these ultimately benefit the producer.?
6. Lack of power. Producers that join groups like PROs to fulfil their EPR obligations can pool their resources and lobby for amendments to EPR laws that don’t benefit them. Waste pickers don’t usually have the same level of power even though EPR affects their livelihoods too. This can lead governments to pass laws that overlook or even disadvantage informal waste workers.?

What is Inclusive EPR??

An inclusive EPR system recognises waste pickers and other informal workers in the recycling industry as partners worth consulting when making new laws. Inclusive EPR respects their skills and knowledge, giving them credit for the work they do and creating pathways for them to grow in the industry. ?

Fair EPR laws should:

• Include waste pickers in designing any new EPR policies
• Prevent unfair competition for waste pickers
• Make it easy to participate in EPR programmes
• Ensure producers cover the full cost of waste pickers’ services
• Require fair payment and working conditions
• Provide support for waste pickers in accessing recycling infrastructure?

The Benefits of Including Waste Pickers in EPR Systems?

Waste pickers have a wealth of experience and on-the-ground knowledge we can draw from to implement more successful EPR systems. Recognising their importance will allow governments to pass more inclusive laws that create opportunities for economic growth.?

Here are some of the benefits of including waste pickers in EPR systems:

• Creates decent jobs with low barriers to entry in the recycling sector to alleviate poverty.
• Formalises employment for informal waste workers, giving them access to social protection.
• Improves material recovery rates, diverting more waste away from landfills.
• Creates opportunities for better data collection in the waste industry, helping us recognise the importance of waste pickers and improve our current waste management systems over time.?

Inclusive EPR Systems is Key

EPR laws should consider not only the environment and the economy but the people who handle our recyclables every day. The first step to making EPR more inclusive is to educate industry stakeholders on the important role waste pickers play in the economy. Understanding their importance will help policymakers include waste pickers from the get-go, designing better systems that don't exacerbate inequality. ?

If you are looking for ways to implement a more inclusive EPR scheme for your company, eWASA can help you. Contact us for more about our work in the paper and packaging, lighting, and electrical and electronics industries.

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SOURCES:

https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/files/publications/file/technical-brief-no-15.pdf