Christina Seidel

Zeroing in on Waste:Zeroing in on Waste:

the Role of the Role of Extended Producer Responsibility Extended Producer Responsibility

in a in a Zero Waste StrategyZero Waste Strategy

Towards Zero Waste• Need to change the perception of waste Need to change the perception of waste

as a normal by-product of societyas a normal by-product of society• Redesign processes and systems to Redesign processes and systems to

eliminate wasteeliminate waste

Extended Producer Responsibility

• OECD defines EPR as an environmental OECD defines EPR as an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle.life cycle.

Related Features of EPR Policy (OECD)

• Shifting of responsibility upstream Shifting of responsibility upstream toward the producer and away toward the producer and away from municipalitiesfrom municipalities• Only producers have the ability to redesignOnly producers have the ability to redesign

• Provide incentives to producers to Provide incentives to producers to incorporate environmental considerations incorporate environmental considerations in the design of their productsin the design of their products• Cradle-to-cradleCradle-to-cradle

Waste Management System• Responsibility to manage consumer Responsibility to manage consumer

waste is traditionally borne by society as waste is traditionally borne by society as a whole (represented by municipality)a whole (represented by municipality)

• Cost of waste management is not Cost of waste management is not reflected in product pricereflected in product price• Supported through municipal taxesSupported through municipal taxes

Historical Municipal Waste

Composition of Dustbin Contents in 1935

Vegetable14%

Textiles2%

Paper14%

Dust57%

Misc6%

Metals4% Glass

3%

Source: Institute of Wastes Management, 1982

Current Municipal Solid Waste

Paper29%

Glass6%

Metals8%

Food & Yard23% Wood, Rubble,

Leather, Textiles25%

Plastic9%

Source: Alberta Environment

Growth of Product Wastes

Source: Spiegelman and Sheehan, 2005

Growth of Recycling

Source: Spiegelman and Sheehan, 2005

Limitations of Municipal System• Municipal waste management has been Municipal waste management has been

subsidizing poor product designsubsidizing poor product design• Inadvertently encouraged disposable societyInadvertently encouraged disposable society

• Designed for collection and management Designed for collection and management of homogenous waste streamof homogenous waste stream

• Lacks ability to handle reverse logistics Lacks ability to handle reverse logistics for complex productsfor complex products

• Producer lacks input into efficiency and Producer lacks input into efficiency and innovationinnovation

Potential for EPR Approach• Offers dedicated systems to handle specific Offers dedicated systems to handle specific

products through reverse distributionproducts through reverse distribution• Assumption of cradle-to-cradle approach by Assumption of cradle-to-cradle approach by

producers offers opportunities for redesignproducers offers opportunities for redesign• Encouraged to eliminate waste from cycleEncouraged to eliminate waste from cycle• Design for durability and recyclabilityDesign for durability and recyclability• Elimination of toxic materialsElimination of toxic materials

• Product price includes complete life–cycle Product price includes complete life–cycle costscosts• Sends more accurate price signal to consumerSends more accurate price signal to consumer

EPR Philosophy in Design• Important to always keep fundamental Important to always keep fundamental

philosophy in mind when designing philosophy in mind when designing EPR programsEPR programs

• Danger in being too pragmatic when Danger in being too pragmatic when making design decisionsmaking design decisions• Design choices focused on efficiency or Design choices focused on efficiency or

simplicity can undermine program supportsimplicity can undermine program support

Design Criteria Checklist• Financially sustainableFinancially sustainable• Level playing fieldLevel playing field• No cross-subsidizationNo cross-subsidization• Separation of products / materialsSeparation of products / materials

• Environmentally soundEnvironmentally sound• DfE, 3Rs hierarchyDfE, 3Rs hierarchy

• Socially responsibleSocially responsible• Performance drivenPerformance driven• Transparent, inclusiveTransparent, inclusive

EPR Program Design Criteria• Encourages Design for EnvironmentEncourages Design for Environment

• Products / materials must carry individual Products / materials must carry individual costscosts• Reward environmental performanceReward environmental performance• Avoid “basket of goods” approachAvoid “basket of goods” approach

• PROs practical and effective management PROs practical and effective management organizations, but remove competitionorganizations, but remove competition• Encourage individual system designEncourage individual system design• EPR more than funding mechanismEPR more than funding mechanism

EPR Program Design Criteria• 3Rs hierarchy3Rs hierarchy

• Encourage environmentally-preferable Encourage environmentally-preferable management optionsmanagement options• Financial incentive for environmental Financial incentive for environmental

performanceperformance• In absence of definitive research, hierarchy In absence of definitive research, hierarchy

assumed validassumed valid• Life-cycle avoidance techniqueLife-cycle avoidance technique

• Environmental conscience on PROEnvironmental conscience on PRO

EPR Program Design Criteria• Visible fees vs cost internalizationVisible fees vs cost internalization

• Flow-through fees download cost onto Flow-through fees download cost onto consumerconsumer• No price signal to producer to DfENo price signal to producer to DfE

• ““Only one taxpayer”Only one taxpayer”• Consumer vs taxpayerConsumer vs taxpayer

• Visible fees symbolize producers’ Visible fees symbolize producers’ unwillingness to accept responsibilityunwillingness to accept responsibility• Visible fees symptom of design failureVisible fees symptom of design failure

Contact

• sonnevera international corp.sonnevera international corp.Christina Seidel Christina Seidel Executive Director, Recycling Council of Alberta Executive Director, Recycling Council of Alberta Box 23Box 23Bluffton, AB T0C 0M0Bluffton, AB T0C 0M0

phone: 403.843.6563phone: 403.843.6563fax: 403.843.4156fax: 403.843.4156info@recycle.ab.cainfo@recycle.ab.ca

www.recycle.ab.cawww.recycle.ab.ca