The global supply of goods has changed drastically over the last 50 years. The number of different products on the market is increasing and individual items are being produced on an ever-increasing scale. Concurrently, innovation in packaging technology has opened up new distribution channels. These have reduced food waste and allowed goods to be stored for extended periods and transported over long distances. Due to packaging, goods and valuable resources are protected while keeping costs under control. However, pollution caused by packaging disposed of incorrectly is an increasingly serious problem, and one that needs to be addressed urgently by designing products that are easier to recycle, and investing in collection and recycling systems.
The presented EPR Toolbox was initiated during the launching event of the PREVENT Waste Alliance within a multi-stakeholder process on May 9, 2019. The PREVENT Waste Alliance is financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). To clarify needs and requirements related to EPR in view of conditions and constraints prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, the authors of the EPR toolbox involved diverse partners from developing countries from the beginning in several co-creation activities.