The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources discussed proposals and comments to the draft law "On packaging and packaging waste" with representatives of business, the public and experts.
The agency is working on the final version of the document, which for the first time in Ukraine introduces a system of extended producer responsibility (EPR), the Ministry of Environment reports on Facebook.
Viktoriya Kireeva, Deputy Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, explained that reaching a consensus between the authorities, the public and business is necessary for all the tools to work in practice. This is necessary for the implementation of garbage reform in Ukraine. RVV provides that the product manufacturer will be obliged to ensure the collection and disposal of the packaging that was released to the market together with the goods.
It is noted that the meeting participants discussed:
- compliance of the text of the draft law with European directives;
- targets that will be set in Ukraine for businesses regarding the collection and processing of packaging within the framework of extended producer responsibility;
- types of packaging that will fall under the EPR;
- creation of coordination councils.
In the message, it was said that proposals for the draft law were submitted by representatives of:
- American Chamber of Commerce;
- Zero Waste Alliance;
- European Business Association;
- Association "Ekopak";
- Association "Ukrainian Ecological Alliance";
- of the public organization "Batteryki zvaydavysya".
Kireeva emphasized that after taking into account the amendments, a final meeting will be held.
"Extended producer responsibility has been in effect for many years in all European countries. It places the financial responsibility and the cost of recycling (processing) of waste on product manufacturers. The latter can also bear organizational responsibility – to ensure separate waste collection and recycling," the press service explained.
The message added that a similar model should be introduced on the territory of Ukraine. It will give impetus to:
- development of the field of secondary processing;
- creation of necessary infrastructure and new jobs;
- Ukraine's approach to EU membership.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that in April the team of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources finished work on the draft law "On packaging and packaging waste", which regulates the concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR).
As EcoPolitic previously reported, The Cabinet of Ministers amended the Regulation on the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources to bring it into line with the provisions of the "On Waste Management" Act.The document entered into force on July 9.