Virtual Coffee: EPR Reality Check

EPR has gained great momentum in the past years, providing one solution to the ever-increasing waste amounts. The concept has been adopted by many countries worldwide and even has a dedicated chapter in the Resolution against Plastic Pollution currently being discussed by the UNEP Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. However, EPR is a complex and multi-layer concept where it is natural that many misconceptions and pitfalls in this context are continuously witnessed. Even more, 5-13 million tonnes are still disposed of in the ocean due to inadequate waste management systems, while plastic production continues to boom.

Therefore, a critical ‘reality check’ of common EPR conceptions is overdue to see which expectations can actually fulfilled and which are myths. This reality check is done by Jana Brinkmann, Business Unit Leader International Projects at cyclos GmbH, who has worked on many EPR systems around the globe.