In the United Kingdom, companies who make packaging are now having to pay as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has started its enforcement stage.
What is EPR? It is based on the idea that the companies who are making the packaging should have to pay for the cost of its collection, sorting, and disposal and not the public, which is usually who bears the cost.
Invoices started being sent to companies in October, based on data companies had been sharing with the government.
According to the government website, the definition of packaging is:
Packaging is any material that is used to cover or protect goods that are sold to consumers. It makes handling and delivering goods easier and safer. It includes anything that’s designed to be filled at the point of sale, such as a coffee cup. Packaging also makes goods look appealing and it may display a company’s logo or brand. ‘Goods’ could include raw materials or processed items.
A goal of the EPR program is to promote circular economies as businesses will have more financial incentive to reduce and reuse materials.
Let’s watch to see how it works!