India contributes nearly 20% of global plastic waste emissions, generating 9.3 million tonnes annually. Poor waste management, including inadequate recycling systems, leads to significant plastic dumping and burning, harming land, air, and water ecosystems. To address the growing challenge of plastic waste, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) implemented the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (PWM Rules). These rules aim to reduce plastic waste generation, ensure proper segregation and storage of waste at its source, and mandate the handover of segregated waste in compliance with regulations. Under the PWM Rules, detailed guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging were introduced in February 2022.

Overview

Extended producer responsibility is a policy framework that holds Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) & micro and small Producers, Sellers, Importers, and manufacturers (SIMPs) accountable for the environmental management of their products throughout their lifecycle. These obligations include managing the plastic packaging waste introduced into the market through recycling, reuse, or end-of-life disposal.

Producer: An entity engaged in manufacturing plastic packaging, intermediate materials to be used for manufacturing plastic packaging, or contract manufacturing of products using plastic packaging or similar arrangements for brand owners.

Importer: An entity engaged in the commercial import of plastic packaging, commodities with plastic packaging, carry bags, plastic sheets, or similar materials, as well as plastic raw materials in the form of resins or pellets or intermediate materials intended for manufacturing plastic packaging like films or preforms.

Brand Owner: An entity that sells any commodity under a registered brand label or trademark.

Manufacturer: An entity that produces plastic raw materials, including compostable plastics and biodegradable plastics.

Seller: An entity that supplies plastic raw materials, including resins, pellets, or intermediate materials, used in the manufacturing of plastic packaging..

Urban Local Bodies: Municipal corporations, municipalities, gram panchayats, and village panchayats.

Plastic Waste Processor: Recyclers and entities involved in recycling plastic waste, as well as those utilizing plastic waste for energy generation through methods like waste-to-energy, co-processing, conversion of plastic waste into oil (waste-to-oil), and industrial composting.

Also Read: India Becomes World’s Largest Contributor To Plastic Pollution, Accounting For 20% Of Global Waste

Categories of Plastic Packaging

Responsibilities of PIBOs

1. Register at EPR Portal

2. Submit their Action plan

3. Fulfill obligations for:

• Recycling
• Use of Recycled content
• Reuse
• End-of-life disposal

4. Maintain required records

5. Submit annual returns

Also Read: CPCB EPR Portal For Plastic Waste Management

EPR Targets

The eligible Quantity in MT (Q) on which PIBOs target is decided shall be the average weight of virgin plastic packaging material (category-wise) purchased and introduced in the market in the last two financial years (A) plus the average quantity of (B) of pre-consumer plastic packaging in the last two financial years.

Further, reducing the quantity of plastic packaging supplied directly to the entities for Brand Owners (C) other than those which are micro and small enterprises in the previous financial year Q (in MT) = (A + B) – C The EPR Target shall be determined, category-wise, as given below:

In the initial years PIBOs obligation targets are low, which is to focus on strengthening the higher participation of stakeholders. Going forward, the targets are extended to strengthen the higher reuse and recycling of plastics to lead to circularity in the system.

Impact of Non-Compliance on PIBOs

1. Businesses required to register under EPR cannot operate without obtaining the necessary registration.
2. Registered entities are prohibited from conducting business with unregistered entities that are required to obtain EPR registration.
3. Environmental Compensation (EC) may be imposed for failing to meet EPR targets. However, paying EC does not exempt PIBOs from fulfilling their EPR obligations.

Benefits of EPR

Also Read: Waste And Recycling Solutions For Reducing Plastic Pollution

How Envirosense Can Help?

At Envirosense, our team of professionals provides end-to-end support to help your business comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. Our services are designed to simplify the process, ensure compliance, and address any challenges effectively.

EPR Assessment & Authorization We evaluate your EPR requirements, identify improvement areas, and assist in filing applications with the relevant Pollution Control Board.

EPR Training & Awareness We provide tailored training sessions and awareness programs to help businesses understand and navigate EPR regulations for effective compliance.

EPR Annual Return Guide businesses in preparing and submitting annual returns to demonstrate adherence to EPR requirements.

EPR Recycling Credit Assist in managing recycling credits to offset the waste generated by products, promoting sustainable waste management practices.

EPR Due Diligence We conduct EPR due diligence to assess compliance gaps and develop a tailored plan of action, ensuring your business meets regulatory requirements effectively.

Contact

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Also Read: Plastic Waste is Causing Climate Change. Here’s How