MOSCOW, January 1 Changes to the extended producer responsibility system came into force on January 1; its manufacturers are now responsible for the disposal of packaging, follows from the federal law.
“»A law has been signed to improve the mechanism of extended producer responsibility (EPR) and importers of goods and packaging. Manufacturers and recyclers are responsible for the disposal of packaging… The law comes into force on January 1, 2024, with the exception of certain provisions,» says the review of the document .
EPR is the obligation of manufacturers and importers of goods to be responsible for the disposal of the goods they produced and the packaging they used when releasing the goods to the market. The EPR mechanism was introduced in Russia in 2014; the recycling standard of 5-10% appeared in 2016-2017 only for some products, without affecting packaging.
The bill shifts responsibility for packaging disposal from sellers to manufacturers. If the company is unable to do this on its own, it is required to pay an environmental fee.
Responsibility will increase gradually, in 2025 companies will have to recycle 55% of all packaging produced, in 2026 — 75%, from 2027 — 100%.
Importers will also bear responsibility: when importing goods, they will pay an environmental fee. Such a requirement could come into force in 2026. Before this, an experiment will be conducted in relation to certain groups of imported goods.
In addition, as part of the reform, it is proposed to introduce eco-coefficients: the more environmentally friendly the product, the less the manufacturer will pay. Such a decision should encourage businesses to use environmentally friendly materials, including recycled materials.
The problem of fake packaging disposal reports should be solved by increased control over the destruction and recycling of waste. It is proposed to create a register of recyclers and conduct inspections of the actual capacities of such companies.