EPR in South Africa
South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations aim to extend companies’ financial or physical responsibility for certain identified products to the post-consumer stage of the products, ensuring that the end-of-life of such products is effectively and sustainably managed in order to increase diversion from landfill and encourage a circular economy.
It is now mandatory for producers to register with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE; formerly Environmental Affairs) on their website and ensure that all identified products are covered by an appropriate Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme.
Identified sectors are:
- Lighting
- Paper, packaging and some single use products
- Electrical and electronic equipment
The EPR Regulations for South Africa were originally published on 5 November 2020. On 15 January 2021, the Government issued a notice postponing the implementation of the EPR Regulations to 5 May 2021. Amendments to the regulations along with notices were published on 5 May 2021, making the Regulations effective from 5 May 2021. The date for final compliance was revised to 5 November 2021. 2022 is Year 1 of the EPR scheme implementation, reporting and targets.
Obligated Producers must either:
- Join an existing Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO);
- Form a new PRO; or
- Develop and submit to DFFE an independent EPR Scheme for your packaging.
You can find the list of waste management legislation and policies applicable to EPR in South Africa.
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