What is an EPR scheme? Everything you need to know about extended producer responsibility

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) concerns many products and packaging items placed on the market in France. The producer is responsible for reducing their environmental impact throughout their life cycle.  

What is an EPR scheme? Everything you need to know about extended producer responsibility

Extended producer responsibility (EPR) concerns many products and packaging items placed on the market in France. The producer is responsible for reducing their environmental impact throughout their life cycle.  

 


Eco-conception


    Durabilité


  Valorisation

 

 

What is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)? 

Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR, is a principle under which companies that place products on the market are responsible for their environmental impact throughout their lifespan, from design to end-of-life.

In practical terms, it means that producers must finance and organise the collection, sorting, reuse and recycling of their products. This is the application of the ‘polluter pays’ principle: those who put products on the market are responsible for managing the environmental consequences associated with them once they become waste.

But EPR does not stop when products reach the end of their lifespan. 
Right from the design stage, producers are encouraged to create products that are more sustainable, repairable and recyclable, in order to reduce the quantities and environmental impacts of waste. 
This approach hence encourages reuse, repairing and recycling, driving a circular economy. 

Producer responsibility organisations: bearing responsibility in exchange for a financial contribution 


In most cases, a producer will join a producer responsibility organisation (PRO) in order to meet its regulatory obligations. This organisation will take on the producer’s responsibility in exchange for a financial contribution referred to as an ‘EPR fee’.  
 

The amount of the EPR fee paid by the producer may vary depending on the environmental impact of its product. The regulations provide for a system of bonuses and penalties in a number of schemes in order to modulate (adjust) the amounts paid in line with the efforts made. Some PROs also propose their own modulations. The amount of the EPR fee is set by each PRO. 

Find out more about EPR fee modulation

What is an EPR scheme? 

A scheme – also sometimes referred to as a sector – is a family of everyday products used by households and/or professionals. They are defined by Article L541-10-1 of the Environmental Code.

The first national, regulated EPR scheme was set up for household packaging collection in 1992. Similar systems were then introduced for other products such as batteries, les electrical and electronic equipment, papers and apparel. 

What are the schemes? 

Today there are 19 EPR schemes. 

View the EPR schemes . 

Frise présentant les dates de mise en oeuvre des 19 filières. Transcription disponible en PDF en dessous..

Télécharger le document Mise en oeuvre filières REP-Transcription PDF – 68.89 KB

What is the procedure for setting up a scheme? 

An EPR scheme is set up according to a structured process involving the public authorities (Ministry for the Ecological Transition, Ministry of Industry and Finance and ADEME), the producers, and the PROs applying for accreditation. 

 

1

Identification of a product family 

The first step involves identifying the products or waste flows that must be managed in a specific way owing to their environmental impact or their increasing volume. ADEME conducts a preparatory study to assess the key issues and define the scope this future EPR scheme must cover.

With support from ADEME’s EPR Supervision Department (DSREP), the State then defines the regulatory framework stipulating the products and producers concerned, and lays down the obligations to be met by the producers falling within this new scheme. 
 

2

Preparation of the decree and the specifications 

Once the products have been targeted, an implementing decree is drawn up. Specifications are then written, setting out the expectations and targets. These targets may cover prevention (through repair and different forms of reuse in particular), collection, treatment, and funding obligations.

The DSREP provides advice and expertise while these specifications are being written, in particular to define the target trajectories or expectations specific to the scheme. To do so, it may conduct preliminary studies. 

 

3

Accreditation of PROs and individual compliance schemes 

Producers can choose either to manage their obligations individually via an individual compliance scheme or to call on the services of accredited PROs. To obtain this accreditation, they must prove their ability to satisfy the obligations set out in the specifications by submitting an application. This application is examined by the ministries (Ecological Transition and Industry & Finance) and ADEME.  

Once they have been accredited, PROs and individual schemes become the key actors within the overall scheme, operating at all stages of the lifespans of products.

The public authorities issue an accreditation for a maximum period of six years. At the end of this period, the PROs must comply with a new set of specifications in order to renew their accreditation.

Choosing between a PRO and an individual compliance scheme 
 

4

Monitoring and assessment 

Once the scheme has been put in place, it is monitored regularly to assess its efficiency. PROs and individual schemes are required to report on their activities to the public authorities. To do so, they report data on their activity each year to ADEME. These data are then used to calculate their performance and compared with the targets set in the specifications for accreditation (collection and recycling, for example). The DSREP monitors the work and studies undertaken by PROs and individual compliance schemes. It also carries out its own studies to support the ongoing development of the scheme. 

 

5

Evolution and adaptation 

EPR schemes constantly evolve to keep in step with new regulations, technological advances and environmental expectations.

The specifications and decrees may be reviewed periodically in order to integrate new products, reinforce producers’ obligations, or adjust the environmental performance targets. 

 

Are you a producer?

Find out how you can meet your obligations in just a few steps.

 

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