March 2025 Newsletter
Newsletter: March 2025
US Packaging EPR’s First Major Producer Deadlines
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws in the U.S. are evolving with several states actively implementing or considering EPR legislation. Legislative initiatives are implemented at the state level which results in variation among laws from state-to-state, adding a layer of complexity when it comes to producers’ obligations.
States with active packaging EPR in the US are California, Colorado, Oregon, Maine, and Minnesota. There are several additional states in the process of developing EPR legislation. The deadlines for producers to keep in mind are:
- Oregon’s first reporting deadline of March 31, 2025, where producers will report their volumes to inform the Oregon program fees
- Minnesota’s July 1, 2025 producer registration deadline
- Colorado’s proposed reporting deadline shortly after Oregon’s, which is slated for July 31, 2025
- California’s proposed reporting deadline of August 31, 2025
To prepare for these deadlines, companies should start by assessing their obligations, as there are specific thresholds and packaging scope considerations in each state. Accerio conducts such assessments and supports companies with registration and reporting data preparation.
Portugal Packaging Sorting Instructions
Portugal has introduced packaging sorting instruction obligations for producers of non-reusable packaging. Providing customers with sorting information promotes accurate waste separation and enhances the volume and quality of waste recycling materials.
- The obligation can be met in one of two ways:
Marking primary and secondary non-reusable packaging- The marking should indicate the appropriate waste bin of the packaging material
- Marking can be in the form of pictograms representing the bins or in a QR code that guides the customer to such pictograms
- Providing customers with the information on the appropriate destination of the packaging material at the point of sale
- Point of sale applies to physical establishments (e.g.: retail stores, supermarkets, etc.) or the producer’s website
Portugal recognizes that the rules above must adapt to packaging marking and digital tool requirements in line with the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). Please contact Accerio for further information on packaging labelling and sorting instruction requirements.
India Battery and Plastic Waste Management Rules Update
The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has recently updated the labeling requirements for battery and plastic packaging EPR obligations. Registered producers of batteries and registered producers, importers, or brand owners (PIBOs) of plastic packaging now have the option to display their name and EPR registration number via a Quick Response (QR) Code or Barcode, provided they inform the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of the details. The updates to the Plastic Waste Management Rules also introduced penalties, such as fines and legal action, for non-compliant PIBOs.
For plastic packaging, the QR Code or Barcode can be printed directly on the packaging. For battery, it may be placed on:
- Batteries or battery packs
- Equipment containing a battery or battery pack
- Packaging for batteries or battery packs
- Packaging for equipment containing a battery or battery pack
- Bulk packaging of batteries or battery packs (not intended for retail sale)
Alternatively, for both battery and plastic packaging, the EPR registration number may be included in the product information brochure.
Utilizing these digital tools is an optional provision, allowing the choice to use a QR code or Barcode instead of directly printing the company name and EPR registration details on the packaging or battery. Please contact Accerio for additional information on EPR requirements in India.
Hungary Tax-Based EPR System Ends
Hungary had overlapping, or dual, systems for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in place for the past few years, meaning many producers paid fees through both systems. The tax-based system started in 1995, with environmental product charges via the tax system for a specific list of products. In 2023, Hungary published Decree 80/2023, which created a new extended producer responsibility system. Most recently, in January 2025, Hungary published Act LXXXIX of 2024, which brought about a series of modifications to various legal texts, including the ones governing over the two systems. These changes eliminate the dual system.
Starting 1st January 2025:
- Standard EPR: “extended producer responsibility products” or circular products are:
- Packaging, SUP (single use plastic), Paper Stationery, and Commercial Printing Papers
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment
- Batteries and Accumulators
- Textiles
- Wooden furniture
- Tires
- Cooking Oil and Grease
- Motor Vehicles
- Tax-based “environmental protection products charge products” are:
- Other plastic products, like: Plastic carrier bags made of plastic, Flowers, foliage and fruit of plastics and parts thereof; articles made of artificial flowers, foliage or fruit
- Other chemical products, like: Soap; organic surface-active agents; washing preparations, wet-wipes, Cosmetic or toilet preparations
- Other petroleum products
- Plastic carrier bags remain to be considered both “extended producer responsibility products” and “environmental protection products charge products” and remain subject to both fees
If your company sells products to Hungary, please contact Accerio for assessment and registration services.
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