What if Extended Producer Responsibility could be applied to everything?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is no longer a niche concept restricted to plastic packaging and electronic waste. As the world grapples with resource scarcity and climate change, EPR is emerging as a transformative tool to drive accountability, circularity, and innovation across industries. But what if we pushed the boundaries further? What if EPR could be applied to every sector, every product, and every material?
From agriculture to textiles, and construction to solar panels, EPR is already being piloted in unexpected areas. From COP29:
At a somewhat fractious UN Climate Conference (COP29) dominated by finance, the final agreement in Baku, Azerbaijan saw developed countries pledge to “take the lead” in raising US$300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035.
This is up from the US$100 billion a year that was pledged in 2009. It was also agreed that developed countries would “secure efforts” to scale up finance to developing countries from public and private sources to US$1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
In a world where climate financing is unlikely to come by easily, could EPR schemes be the transformative tool to bridge the financing gap?
While packaging has seen a lot of emphasis in EPR programs, globally, here are examples that showcase how EPR principles, when applied to other industries, can revolutionize how we think about financing .
1. Agriculture: Rethinking Farm Waste
In France, the AgriRécup program focuses on collecting and recycling agricultural waste beyond just plastics. It covers everything from fertilizer bags to used tires and even seeds. Over 10 million tons of food waste is generated in France alone, highlighting the urgency for sustainable solutions.
Similarly, Canada’s Cleanfarms initiative targets agricultural plastics, such as grain bags and twine, providing collection points and funding research into recycling methods. Cleanfarms has diverted over 3 million kilograms of waste from landfills in 2022 alone, exemplifying how EPR can tackle waste streams critical to food security and environmental health.
2. Textiles: The Fashion Industry’s Waste Problem
Sweden’s newly implemented EPR for textiles mandates producers to collect and recycle clothing and fabrics. Sweden followed France in instituting this EPR. According to Deutsche Recycling the first milestone is to be achieved by 2028: a 70% reduction in the weight of discarded textiles compared to 2022. 80% is to be achieved by 2032 and 90% by 2036.The fashion industry generates 92 million tonnes of waste annually, with less than 1% of materials recycled into new clothes. This initiative addresses the fashion industry’s notorious environmental footprint, driving the creation of durable, recyclable fabrics and fostering circularity in fast fashion.
3. Construction: Building a Circular Future
The Netherlands’ EPR program for construction and demolition waste compels producers to take responsibility for end-of-life building materials like concrete and steel. Construction waste accounts for accounts for a third of all the waste generated in the EU. This system has spurred innovation in deconstruction techniques and recycling technologies, creating a more sustainable construction industry.
4. Fishing Gear: Cleaning Up Our Oceans
Norway’s EPR program for fishing gear ensures that nets, traps, and other equipment are collected and recycled. This plan is expected to be implemented before end of 2024. Abandoned fishing gear, known as "ghost nets," accounts for 10% of marine debris globally, causing $250 million annually in lost fishing revenue. This initiative mitigates “ghost fishing”—where abandoned gear continues to harm marine life—and recovers valuable materials for reuse.
Beyond the Status Quo: Envisioning a Universal EPR Framework
What if EPR principles were applied to everything? Imagine a world where manufacturers of cars, medical devices, furniture, or even textbooks were responsible for their products’ entire lifecycle. Producers would be incentivized to design for durability, repairability, and recyclability from the start, minimizing waste and conserving resources.
This vision requires strong policy frameworks, cross-sector collaboration, and public awareness. But as these pilots demonstrate, the benefits—reduced waste, enhanced circularity, and sustainable innovation—are too significant to ignore.
The Road Ahead
EPR has the potential to fundamentally reshape how we produce, consume, and dispose of goods. By expanding its application to every sector, we can create a future where waste is a thing of the past, and responsibility lies at the heart of production. In a world where unlocking financing to build the infrastructure needed, an EPR scheme could deliver on both, and has the transformative power to deliver the change we seek.
Let’s start asking: what’s next for EPR? And more importantly, how can we make it happen?
Do you want to share other EPR programs with the audience?
Thanks for putting this all in one spot! There is some really cool decarbonization technology for managing / recycling solid wastes coming out. Not much need for landfilling once it fully blossoms.