Plastic has infiltrated every aspect of our daily lives, whether it is mobile phones, clothing, furniture, or containers for packaging food, almost everywhere. The amount of plastic waste generated globally each year is staggering. It is estimated that without effective action, the amount of plastic waste entering the oceans will increase from 11 million tons today to 29 million tons by 2040. This situation not only increases Marine pollution, but also poses a huge threat to the global ecosystem.

To address this global challenge, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system has become an effective solution. EPR promotes plastic recycling and reuse by requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for their waste disposal at the end of the product's life cycle, thereby reducing the negative impact of plastics on the environment. The EPR paves the way for a more sustainable global economic model.

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Multiple advantages of EPR

// 1. Reduce environmental impact

Through systematic policy design, EPR reduces the harm of plastic waste to the environment. According to a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ, if policies such as EPR were fully implemented globally, the amount of plastic entering the ocean could be reduced by 80 percent by 2040. This means that millions of tons of plastic will be efficiently recycled and disposed of each year, rather than entering the ocean and endangering Marine ecosystems. Currently, about 11 million tons of plastic enter the world's oceans, which are not only difficult to degrade, but also further break down into microplastics, which penetrate the ocean and soil, endangering biological and human health.

The EPR imposes responsibilities on producers to reduce their plastic use and waste emissions. For example, following the implementation of the EPR system in the European Union, the rate of packaging waste going to landfill has decreased by 50% in the past 20 years, significantly reducing the pressure of landfill on the environment.

// 2. Increase recovery rate

EPR has significantly increased the recycling rate of plastics, especially in areas such as plastic packaging. In South Korea, for example, since the implementation of the EPR system in 2003, the recycling rate of packaging materials has jumped from a low level in 2003 to 70% in 2017. Sweden's EPR system has achieved a recovery rate of 84.8% for PET bottles, making it a global model for plastic recycling. This achievement is due to the effective implementation of EPR, which significantly reduces the emission of plastic waste and improves the recycling of resources.

// 3. Promote technological innovation

EPR is not only an important part of environmental policy, but also drives continuous innovation in plastic recycling technology. Since 2010, the number of patent applications related to plastic recycling worldwide has increased by 27%. These innovations include chemical recycling of plastics, plastic-to-plastic conversion technologies, etc., providing new ways to dispose of plastics that cannot be mechanically recycled. For example, chemical recycling technology can deal with mixed plastics, polluted waste, etc., and realize the recycling of plastics through technological innovation.

// 4. Create economic benefits

EPR system is not only beneficial to the environment, but also brings significant economic benefits. The global waste recycling market is expected to reach $80.3 billion by 2025, and EPR policy is one of the main drivers of this market growth. In the European Union, the EPR related recycling industry has created more than 300,000 jobs, providing a new driver for national economic growth. In addition, EPR also reduces the demand for raw materials, helping enterprises to save production costs, and achieve a win-win situation for the economy and the environment.

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Operation mechanism of EPR

The implementation of the EPR involves a number of mechanisms to ensure that plastic waste is treated efficiently and to promote sustainable plastic recycling. Specifically, EPR works through the following key elements:

• Product design: Manufacturers are incentivized to design products that are easier to recycle or reuse. This innovation not only reduces the use of raw materials, but also reduces the production of non-recyclable plastics in the production process.
• Recycling systems: Manufacturers often need to set up or fund waste recycling systems to ensure that their products are properly recycled at the end of their use. This not only reduces the processing burden of the government, but also creates opportunities for green production models of the enterprises themselves.
• Education and advocacy: The key to the successful implementation of the EPR system is correct consumer behavior. To help consumers understand how to properly dispose of waste, many countries' EPR systems include corporate-funded education and awareness campaigns to help raise public awareness.

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EPR's global practice

EPR system has been widely implemented in the world and has achieved remarkable results. For example:

• Germany: Since the introduction of the EPR system in Germany, the recycling rate of all packaging waste has reached 67% by 2019, of which the recycling rate of plastic packaging is 42%. This success story demonstrates the strong potential of the EPR system to reduce waste to landfill and promote plastic recycling.
• Japan: Japan achieved a 93% recycling rate for PET bottles in 2021 by implementing a strict EPR regime. This achievement is due to the cooperation between the Japanese government and enterprises in promoting the EPR system.
• Canada: Since the introduction of EPR in 2014, British Columbia has achieved a recycling rate of 78% for plastic packaging and saved local governments more than $400 million in waste management costs.
• France: The French Packaging EPR system has achieved a recycling rate of 68% for household packaging, of which 28% for plastic packaging.

These success stories show that EPR can not only effectively reduce the negative environmental impact of plastic waste, but also create significant economic and social benefits for governments and businesses.

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Challenges and opportunities

Although the EPR system shows great potential, it still faces many challenges in its implementation. First, there are differences in the design and implementation of EPR systems around the world, which adds to the complexity of compliance for multinational enterprises. Companies need to comply with different regulations in different markets, and how to harmonize these standards is a challenge. In addition, some producers may try to evade their responsibilities, which requires governments to implement strict enforcement mechanisms to ensure the fairness and effectiveness of the EPR system.

In addition, the success of the EPR system also depends on the active participation of consumers. Consumers need to be aware of the importance of their waste disposal behaviour and understand how to properly recycle and dispose of plastic products. Therefore, the EPR system is not only a constraint on producers, but also a long-term investment in public education and environmental awareness.

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Future outlook

Despite the many challenges EPR faces, it will play a greater role globally as a core policy to promote the circular economy of plastics. In the future, with the continuous improvement of policies and continuous innovation of technologies, EPR is expected to become a key means to solve the problem of plastic pollution. By encouraging manufacturers to design more recyclable products, promoting the construction of recycling systems, and raising public awareness, EPR can not only significantly reduce plastic pollution, but also breathe new life into the sustainable development of the global economy.

The EPR system provides a practical solution for the global response to plastic pollution. Through the joint efforts of governments, businesses and the public, we can significantly reduce plastic pollution in the coming decades, promote the efficient recycling of resources, and lay a solid foundation for a greener future for the world.