Europe shows that EPR can help finance recycling, but different registration processes, Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs), deadlines and fees can create a significant administrative burden. The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) harmonises some requirements, but there is still no central EU-wide EPR registration system.
Common standards, no full harmonisation
The USA does not need identical EPR systems in every state; different recycling targets and funding models can still remain. What matters is having common ground regarding definitions and standards for packaging data and reporting.
Ideally, companies should be able to record information such as packaging material, type, weight, recyclability and sales volume once and use it across states. Standard manufacturer IDs, transparent PRO fees and minimum thresholds for smaller producers could further reduce administrative costs. Eco-modulation can also encourage companies to design more recyclable packaging. Similar approaches already exist in Europe and the US state of Oregon.
The US still has an opportunity to build a simpler administrative framework for EPR. Digital systems alone will not guarantee simplicity, but common definitions, data standards and reporting processes could prevent state-by-state differences from creating a system as complex as Europe’s.
VERE e.V. is in contact with the relevant stakeholders and keeps its members informed of further developments via the “VERE Insider”.
Not yet a VERE member? Become a VERE member here now!
