With waste generation increasing and landfill space becoming increasingly limited in South Africa, alongside growing global regulatory requirements, local producers are facing mounting pressure to adopt sustainable resource management practices.
Extended producer responsibility (EPR), resource recovery and waste innovation can play an important role in the transition towards a circular economy.
According to producer responsibility organisation (PRO) Petco’s website, EPR is a waste management strategy that supports the sustainable organisation and financing of specific waste streams.
Petco notes that EPR was voluntary in South Africa until the Section 18 regulations of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act came into effect in 2021. Since then, it has become mandatory for producers to take full responsibility for the products they place on the market, including their post-consumer collection, sorting and recycling.
According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the primary objectives of the EPR system include establishing an online registration platform and providing producers and PROs with easy access and a quick registration process.
