MANIFESTO for successful Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging

• The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is based on the principle that so-called ‘obliged companies’ take responsibility for the end-of-life management of the products they put on the market. For (household) packaging, EPR ensures that the entire packaging chain is optimized and that packaging is developed in a more sustainable manner.
• To achieve the best results – both economically and environmentally – the EPR organisation should be owned by the obliged companies and run on a not-for-profit basis. It should serve the public interest, operate in a transparent and auditable manner, and involve all stakeholders from the government, local authorities, inhabitants, and the waste management industry – each of which has a designated role to play.
• When these conditions are met, the EPR organisation will have significant added value across the product life cycle in terms of packaging prevention and waste recycling, while contributing to a more cost-efficient and transparent system of waste management.
• The principles of this Manifesto should be endorsed by the obliged companies and embedded in their CSR strategy. These principles should also be endorsed by the authorities and integrated into the forthcoming revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD) as the preferred implementation model.