What Is EPR? (Extended Producer Responsibility)
Understanding EPR and what it means for your business.
The short version
- EPR policies exist globally, including in the EU, UK, Canada, Australia and the US.
- EPR laws are most common for products that are difficult or costly to manage, like packaging, batteries and electronic waste.
- The effectiveness of EPR is often measured by its ability to increase recycling rates, reduce waste, and promote eco-design.
Understanding EPR Laws
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws are a policy approach that shifts the financial and/or physical responsibility for a product's entire lifecycle, especially its disposal phase, from local governments and taxpayers to the manufacturers, importers, and brand owners who first introduce the products to the market. EPR laws exist to incentivise companies to design more sustainable products and packaging that are easier to reuse, recycle, or dispose of safely.
EPR for packaging
EPR for packaging is the most common form of these regulations globally. The European Union has some of the most comprehensive laws, requiring all member states to implement EPR schemes. Countries like Germany and France have well-established programs that require producers to pay fees for the packaging they introduce to the market. In the United States, EPR for packaging is being adopted on a state-by-state basis, with states like Maine, Oregon, and California recently passing landmark legislation. Other countries with significant packaging EPR laws include Canada (at the provincial level), Japan, and South Africa.
When Will EPR Be Implemented In The UK?
The full implementation of EPR for packaging is live as of 2025.
How can Polytag help with your EPR duties?
Polytag's primary role in helping companies with their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) duties is to provide the data necessary for accurate and verifiable compliance. EPR schemes, like the one in the UK, require companies to report on the weight and type of packaging they place on the market, and in some cases, pay fees based on how recyclable that packaging is.
Polytag's technology, which uses Invisible UV Tags on packaging, allows brands to track their products throughout the recycling stream. This creates a "digital footprint" for each piece of packaging, providing live, barcode-level data on its journey. This data can include when and where the packaging was collected and recycled. By providing this information, Polytag helps companies improve data accuracy.
Contact Polytag to discuss how your EPR strategy and approach and how we can support your business on efficiencies, cost-saving and compliance.
Learn about Extended Producer Responsibility across the globe · Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies are shaping businesses in the UK, EU, US and beyond. Learn more how this may affect your business.Opens video player. Press Enter or Space to play.
Learn about EPR legislation in the US · The United States is implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies at the state level, creating new frameworks for packaging accountability.Opens video player. Press Enter or Space to play.More legislation guides
ESPR
EU · phased in until summer 2026
Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation
ESPR is a cornerstone of the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan.
In forcePPWR
EU · in force since February 11, 2025
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation
The PPWR is central to the European Commission’s circular economy agenda.
AdoptedSB54
California · targets by 2032
Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act
Designed to shift the financial and operational burden from local government to companies that produce packaging.
AdoptedDRS
UK · launches 1 October 2027
UK Deposit Return Scheme
Exchange for Change has been appointed to administer the DRS ahead of its launch on 1 October 2027.
