Extended Producer Responsibility in the Circular Economy
As of Jan. 1, 2024, seven statutory Extended Producer Responsibilities (UPVs) are in effect in the Netherlands, along with three voluntary and three financial UPVs. The origins of UPVs go back to the turn of the century, with covenants such as those for packaging. Since 2021, they have been referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility, as a result of the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation Decree. Current UPVs evolve from collection and recycling to focus on material use, reparability and reuse, creating a transition from linear to circular approaches. Industry and business associations regularly inform about the schemes and their implications. From CPNL, we see the UPV as a good step toward circularity. Plastics are found in almost all UPVs. Therefore, chain cooperation for example for sorters and recyclers of plastics is important. A missing element (for now) in the circular chain is the obligation for all producers to use recycled materials in their products. This is separate from the standard for a minimum proportion of non-fossil polymers/plastics. This "admixture obligation," from now on the National Circular Plastic Standard, starts in 2027 with an expected 15% and increases to 25-30% in 2030.
Within the UPV, attention to the design phase is necessary to achieve a circular supply chain and supply chain responsibility, and it is essential to work with the market from policy and regulation to drive value retention through reuse, high-quality recycling and better UPVs.
UNDERSTANDING UPVs ARE IN OPERATION AT THIS TIME (click on upv for more information)
- LEGAL: TIRES, CARS, MATTRESSES, PACKAGING, TEXTILES, PORTABLE BATTERIES, ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
- VOLUNTARY: PAPER/CARDBOARD, CONSUMER MATTRESSES, FLAT GLASS
- FINANCIAL: WET WIPES, BALLOONS, TOBACCO PRODUCTS
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