What is EPR?
More than 40 million households in the U.S. are without convenient access to recycling, according to the Recycling Partnership. We believe everyone should have easy access to recycling, whether it’s via a national bottle bill and/or EPR, otherwise known as extended producer responsibility. The need for EPR stems from a pressing environmental and societal imperative. Our landfills are overflowing, our oceans are choked with single-use plastic and other non-recyclable materials, and many of the products we discard daily contain materials that should be rethought or its lifecycle better managed. Traditional waste management systems, where individuals and local governments bear the brunt of the disposal costs, are proving inadequate in the face of these challenges. EPR serves as a call to action for manufacturers to step up and play a pivotal role in addressing the environmental impacts of their products, from conception to end-of-life.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)?
Extended Producer Responsibility, commonly referred to as EPR, is a policy approach that places the responsibility on manufacturers to manage the environmental impacts of their products throughout their entire life cycle. From the initial design and production stages to the final disposal or recycling phase, EPR ensures that the environmental costs associated with a product are borne by those who bring it to the market.
At its core, EPR is about accountability. It challenges the traditional model where waste management is primarily the responsibility of local governments or consumers. Instead, it shifts this responsibility upstream to the producers, ensuring that they play an active role in reducing the environmental footprint of their products.
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This brings us to an essential distinction: the difference between EPR and product stewardship. While both concepts revolve around managing the life cycle of products, product stewardship is a broader approach that involves shared responsibility. In product stewardship, everyone involved in the life cycle of a product, from manufacturers to consumers, plays a part in its environmental impact. EPR, on the other hand, specifically targets manufacturers, making them the primary agents of change.