Managing EPR

We know EPR can be overwhelming for many obligated organisations due to the sheer complexity, this is especially true when it will have a significant financial impact.

In my previous blog, ‘What is EPR?‘ I explored what, who, when and how much EPR will affect organisations and the main message is still…There is no need to panic but please do not wait for tax increases to fall at your door, be proactive and act now! 

How to manage EPR? 

As with all complex challenges the key is to break them down into bite-size chunks. However, it can be difficult to know where to start. We have put together an interactive guide to help you break down the key stages that work for all EPR schemes. However, please remember if you sell, import or export product and packaging to any country you must ensure you are aware of all individual country and/or state obligations – fees, data submissions and exceptions. 

Plan

Evaluate Systems

Budget

Prioritise

Redesign

Live Data

Submissions

Research

Many requirements are in directives or packaging bills, so that’s 27 EU member states and 50 US states to identify and understand, let alone the rest of the world, including the varying levels of eco-modulation.

Consider your major markets as a priority ​and all the mandatory requirements​ as a minimum.​

The systems you use to capture your packaging specifications are vital to the accuracy of data and to manage your EPR fees. Are your systems capturing the granular detail needed ​for all your EPR requirements?​

​Data requirements and frequency of ​submissions differ by country / state.​

Consider registration costs, levy charges for sold ​volumes, resource to manage collection ​process, resource to manage cleansing of data ​and then the actual submissions.​

​Do you have resources and the budget you need to cover the full cost to business for EPR?​

Develop a network of trusted sources to​ make your life easier. There are resources​ available to you to guide you through specific ​EPR requirements and ensure you are compliant with your obligations. ​

​Your first step is to prioritise your highest volume packaging to your major markets which have mandatory requirements.​

So now you know your EPR obligations by ​market, your budget and priorities – do you​ accept that this is your budget in the future or​ act now to reduce your contributions?​

​Now is your opportunity to mitigate against these year-on-year by re-designing the packaging components that attract the highest fees​.

Make data collection ​part of your process. Don’t rely on annual retrospective data capture or averages. Make sure you have the granular data you need for your EPR submissions but also to drive your business forward.​

Live, accurate data is essential for any business to report accurately, measure performance and ​grow.​

Know the frequency of your EPR submissions, as these differ across countries. For example, France is an annual submission compared to the UK which will be every 6 months.

Never rely on averages, you could be paying ​more than you need to – always use live and ​accurate data.​

Consider each market / country you sell product in.

Many countries, including EU member states, have mandatory EPR requirements. ​If you are currently under the obligation ​threshold in Belgium, what about ​ 2024?

Regulations are changing on ​a rapid basis, stay up-to-date or​ risk the penalties.​

EPR

Extended Producer Responsibility

Click on each segment to discover the steps needed to manage EPR schemes around the world.

What are the challenges of EPR?

Apart from the obvious, cost and complexity, the other significant challenge is frequency of change. Over the last 20 years packaging regulations have principally been evolutionary rather than revolutionary, with the exception of EPR.  

EPR is revolutionary and once implemented evolves continually making EPR a constant challenge, especially for international and global brands and retailers. One of the most important steps in your EPR process has to be research and this needs to be cyclical, to ensure you always have the most up-to-date information on all your markets of sale. Unfortunately, there is no end to this process, and this is especially true when submissions are monthly or quarterly, do not underestimate the resources needed to keep on top of this. 

Data is the key to EPR

With conflicting market schemes and evolving reporting requirements the only way you will be able to manage this whole process it through live and accurate, granular packaging data. As we learn more about future UK EPR it is telling when DEFRA make announcements, such as:  

Extended Producer Responsibility legislation is requiring more and better data than the packaging sector has ever had to supply

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Who is really ready for this next step? Manufacturers may feel better equipped than most however the level of granular detail is beyond many current requirements. Retailers and brand owners, although may not be obligated to pay fees WILL be obligated to submit packaging data and right now most do not have the tools or the specifications at their fingertips to meet this requirement. 

Click below for your free static version of this interactive dial

We hope that this will help you, and your team, break down the process of managing the complexities of EPR and ensure you mitigate your risks and meet your obligations globally.

At Aura we help organizations collate and understand their data in real time. This allows them to manage sustainability everyday, and adjust their packaging as needed to better manage EPR commitments. Contact us for more information on how we can help your organisation manage sustainability everyday.