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EPR for What Matters?Upstream and Downstream

The Third Decade of EPRIIIEE Lund

October 10, 2016

Reid LifsetCenter for Industrial Ecology

School of Forestry & Environmental StudiesYale University

EPR 3rd Decade

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Some Ways to Make EPR Matter?

• Designing EPR for environmental benefits

• Anticipating waste stream changes

• Adapting EPR for developing countries

EPR 3rd Decade

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EPR UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM

EPR 3rd Decade

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The Environmental Rationale for EPR

• DfE (OECD):– “seldom sufficient to serve as the triggering factor” – “missing …evaluations …using methodologies that can

distinguish the impact of EPR on DfE [from other causes of] design changes”

• EPR operations:– Collection practices– Network efficiency– Life cycle impacts of EoL mgmt– Material quality

EPR 3rd Decade

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MIT LCA: Alkaline Batteries Collection & Materials Burden

EPR 3rd Decade

Source: Olivetti et al. 2011

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MIT LCA: Results

• Most impacts in raw materials production

• Recycling benefits driven by Zn

• Collection: Mun drop-off > retail drop-off > curbside co-collection

• EOL impacts: – GWP, CED > LF

– ecosystem, hum health < LF

EPR 3rd Decade

CED, 1 kg of batteries

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Implications for EPR

• Environmentally marginal EPR products need

scrutiny

• EPR not just about upstream (DfE); Also

downstream (collection, processing)

• System design important for environmental

benefits

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EPR AND CHANGING WASTE STREAMS

EPR 3rd Decade

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The Evolving Ton

EPR 3rd Decade

Source: S. Robinson, Waste Management, Inc.

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What is Recycled in the US

EPR 3rd Decade

Source: A. Johnson, Resource Recovery Systems

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EPR and the Evolving Ton

• The evolving ton motivates EPR – California• Does EPR cause material substitution?• Do EPR fees stimulate technology

development?

EPR 3rd Decade

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PRO Packaging Fees, 2016

EPR 3rd Decade

Quebec

Spain

Source: EXPRO, 2016

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Eco-EmballagesModulated Packaging Fees, 2015

Source: OECD, 2016

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EPR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

EPR 3rd Decade

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Solid Waste is Most Problematic in Developing Countries

• Water pollution• Hygiene and disease• Groundwater

contamination• Air pollution

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EPR in Developing Countries

• Not a source for ecodesign• Funding for increased collection,

infrastructure• Challenge of informal economy

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Common Structure for EPR in Developing Countries

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Huaxin Environmental Ltd., Co

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Packaging Waste in Bulgaria

• Packaging tax, CPR physical compliance scheme with 100% responsibility for EOL packaging

• 10,000 waste pickers

• 12 years conflict over collecting HH recyclables

EPR 3rd Decade

Plovdiv ECO-PAK recycling bins

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CEMPRE and UAESP

• Bogotá public service company

• Diversion credit $50/tonto waste pickers selling to authorized junk shops.

• Junk shops register qty, forward info to city

• City deposits money in picker’s bank account

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• Inclusive recycling• NGO – 20 companies

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Many Challenges

• Outbiding informals• Building intermediary organizations• Managing residuals

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EPR for What?

• Downstream environmental benefits• Technology development for changing waste

streams• Improved waste management where it most

needed

EPR 3rd Decade