TOMRA Group Feature Articles

One year in, the world’s first city-wide platform for reusable takeaway packaging in Aarhus, Denmark demonstrates that it is possible to combine convenience on the go with more circular practices. The most heavily circulated REUSEABLE cups have so far completed an impressive 33 loops of reuse.

Knowing whether plastic packaging should be placed in the separate bin for plastic recycling or thrown into the mixed waste bin is not always easy.

As plastic pollution continues to soar, extended producer responsibility (EPR) is becoming an increasingly important policy tool to mitigate this crisis. Through EPR, the operational logistics and costs of managing waste are placed firmly on the producers of that waste, creating a financial incentive for them to create and manage their products and packaging in more sustainable ways.

Today, only 9% of plastic finds its way back into the production cycle after it has been thrown away — a far cry from the target the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive has set (50% of plastic to be recycled by 2025 and 55% by 2030). In anticipation of the third round of negotiations for the UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution, where delegates from around the world will gather in Nairobi, Kenya to discuss the terms of the Treaty, TOMRA has published 10 recommendations for consideration.

EPR schemes ensure that companies take responsibility for the collection, sorting, and recycling of the packaging they place on the market, from start to finish. 

Analysis of EPR schemes shows that creating a trifecta of packaging targets drives resource efficiency. Read more about the second EPR design principle covered in this series: Performance. 

Learn more about Extended Producer Responsibility: What is it? Why is it important, and what does it mean for manufacturers, and others in the value chain?

The circular economy is transforming the way we use and reuse resources, reducing waste and improving the sustainability of our planet. But what is the circular economy, and how does it work?