France's Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program is attracting renewed global attention as the government seeks sustainable ways to reduce plastic pollution.
The system was launched more than thirty years ago to shift the environmental burden of packaging waste from taxpayers to producers, requiring manufacturers to fund and manage the entire packaging life cycle.
With World Environment Day on June 5 highlighting the challenges of plastic waste, many countries are evaluating EPR as a potential solution.
According to the French model, companies that produce or sell packaging products must financially collect, sort, recycle and reduce packaging waste.
These payments are managed by producer responsibility organizations (PROs) such as Citeo, which oversees packaging and graphic paper. In 2023, this figure is 1.6 billion euros, funding recovery infrastructure, eco-design programs and public awareness campaigns.
Citeo CEO Jean Hornain described the goal as building a circular economy where packaging materials are used more efficiently, reused where possible and recycled after use.
He acknowledged that while EPR does lead to smaller costs (each once and for all), long-term environmental and economic savings outweigh those costs.
Unlike tax-based programs, France's EPR program remains politically resilient due to its collaborative structure. The fees paid by the company directly reinvest it into the local recycling system, rather than transferring it to the total government revenue.
This approach promotes shared responsibility among businesses, municipalities and citizens, helps define issues and creates stable funding mechanisms for waste management.
While the system is not inefficient, its core principles (producers must be responsible for the environmental impact of packaging) have never been severely contested, Hornain said.
Broad political and public consensus helped solidify the life and credibility of the program.
As plastic pollution intensifies globally, EPR is increasingly seen as a practical policy tool. Countries expected to participate in the upcoming non-leadership negotiations in Geneva are expected to see it as part of the global plastics treaty.
Hornain highlights key factors in a successful EPR system: mandatory compliance, strong oversight to ensure all company participation, participation of all stakeholders, and support for informal waste pickers.
