Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy approach that assigns producers responsibility for the end-of-life of products. EPR is based on the principle that manufacturers have the greatest control over product design and marketing and have the greatest ability and responsibility to reduce toxicity and waste. The goal of EPR is to add all of the estimated environmental costs associated with a product throughout the product life cycle to the market price of that product. This is done to reach an environmental objective of a decreased total environmental impact of a product, by making the manufacturer of the product responsible for the entire life-cycle of the product and especially for the take-back, recycling, and final disposal.
EPR may take the form of a reuse, buyback, or recycling program. The producer may also choose to delegate this responsibility to a third party, a so-called producer responsibility organization (PRO), which is paid by the producer for used-product management. EPR programs vary considerably due to a number of factors, such as the difference in the products or waste streams covered, instruments used, and how the responsibility is shared among the players in the product chain.
EPR is an environmental policy approach that holds producers responsible for product management through the product’s lifecycle. EPR supports recycling and materials management goals that contribute to a circular economy and can also encourage product design changes that minimize environmental impacts. A national EPR system in the US has the potential to not only bring much-needed funding and efficiency to recycling but also incentivize packaging to be designed to be recyclable or reusable and innovate solutions that minimize the environmental impact of their products.
