Extended Producer Responsibility

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EPR (also called Product Stewardship) places responsibility for end-of-life management of products and related packaging on producers, and to some extent consumers. While regulation and standardisation from governments and other authorities affects EPR, management emphasis is on producers. This eBook reviews the initiatives that are happening in EPR as producers re-visit and change some key elements in how they produce goods. Product packaging takes centre-stage, but this also includes factors like energy efficiency in production. The impact EPR has on many players is considered, from the responsibilities of distributors, producers and brand owners right through to the effect at the top of the chain at the package design and material selection stage. The outlook for EPR is also reviewed, with some of the specific areas being targeted for development by the industry outlined.

Executive Summary

Introduction and Methodology

Introduction
Scope
Methodology
Terminology and Definitions

Overview of EPR Initiatives

Background
Establishing Fundamentals for Better EPR Strategies
Metrics
- Measurement Comparisons
The Consumer Perspective on Initiatives
Examining a Global View

Impact of EPR

Regulatory Examples and Situations
Role of the Supply Chain on Initiatives
- Impact: Gaining Worth from Packaging
- Impact: Recycling Solutions
- - Plastics
- - PET Bottle Recycling
- - Clamshell Product Comparisons
- - Pouches
- - - Case Study: Wine in Pouches
- - Papers
- - - Pre-consumer Materials/Waste
- - - Post-consumer Materials/Waste
- - - Post-consumer Recycling
- - - Recycling Categories
- - Biodegradability and Composting
- Initiatives and Issues with Alternative/Replacement
- Materials
- - Biomaterials

Package Design and Material Trends

Consumer and Household Goods
Pharmaceuticals and Health Care
Food and Beverage
- Packaging Segments
- Product Identification

Outlook for EPR Packaging

Source of Energy and Raw Materials
Regulations
Technologies
Education & Communication
Innovation
International Cooperation

Tables & Figures

List of Tables
TABLE 3.1 US recycling rates of various packaging products, 2008 (%)
TABLE 3.2 Bioplastics for packaging
TABLE 3.3 Strengths and weaknesses of PLA , PHA, and PBAT and PBS
TABLE 5.1 DuPont's Footprint Goals and progress, 2010

List of Figures
FIGURE 2.1 Chain of responsibility
FIGURE 2.2 EPR implementation process
FIGURE 2.3 Example of LCA metrics
FIGURE 2.4 Municipal solid-waste disposal methods by region
FIGURE 2.5 Implementation of European Packaging Directive
FIGURE 3.1 Chain of responsibility
FIGURE 3.2 Tesco's direct carbon footprint boundary
FIGURE 4.1 Top food and beverage companies by sales, 2009
FIGURE 4.2 Nestlé Waters rPET bottle
FIGURE 4.3 New BLO KS wrapper
FIGURE 4.4 Products generated in MSW by volume, 2009 (%)
FIGURE 4.5 Use of plant-based PET in PlantBottle®
FIGURE 5.1 EPR laws, 2006
FIGURE 5.2 EPR laws, 2010