What is EPR?
Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR is the commitment made by a producer to facilitate a reverse collection mechanism and recycling of end of life, post-consumer waste. The objective is to circle it back into the system so as to recover resources embedded in the waste.
In the last few years, India has framed laws which have introduced the concept of EPR for plastic packaging waste and e-waste. Saahas Zero Waste (SZW) assists manufacturers and brand owners in the reverse logistics of these waste categories.
We have over 8 years of experience in providing EPR services to national and multinationals brands. We have developed an extensive collection network which includes consumers and the informal sector. We have also formally collaborated with authorized recyclers and end destinations.
Our MIS system enables us to capture data and prepare detailed reports for our customers.
What is a PRO?
The waste generators such as brand owners/producers are required to collect back the end of life waste generated through their business. This responsibility is met through waste collection agencies who are recognized as a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) .
SZW is a Central Pollution Control Board registered PRO for plastic and e-Waste
Components of our EPR model
Reverse logistics
SZW has a well defined reverse supply chain that allows effective transportation of post-consumer waste to the authorised end destination.
Social inclusion
SZW has innovative social inclusion models where the informal waste workers will be able to meet the costs of compliances through incentives against delivering results.
Public awareness
As a part of the PRO guidelines, SZW conducts extensive awareness programmes which includes social media campaigns, corporate events and collection drives.
Categories of waste
SZW currently manages the following categories of waste for its EPR clients
Plastic Waste
Multi Layered Plastic (MLP)
Most companies use Multi Layered Plastic packaging for snacks, chocolates and biscuit wrappers. This consists of plastic combined with other materials such as paper, paper board, polymeric materials, metalized layers or aluminium foil. This packaging helps in safe storage of perishables, but the designers have not given enough thought to recycling solutions for MLP. Most of the MLP is currently being land-filled or illegally dumped across the country causing serious threat to the environment.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
Polyethylene Terephthalate, commonly called as PET is a universally used packaging material that has a high potential to get recycled. At SZW, we aim to recover PET from waste collected through various sources and gets diverted to recycling factories where it get converted to recycled yarn. This then gets made into recycled products like t-shirts, bags, caps etc.
E-Waste
In 2018, India generated an estimated 18.5 lakh tonnes of e-waste. This is expected to increase to 50 lakh tonnes by 2020. These electronic products contain thousands of various metals. Some of these metals are precious like gold and copper. However, there are also highly toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium. Currently, the informal sector handles over 95% of all the e-waste in India.
Saahas Zero Waste received its PRO authorisation for e-waste on 6th September 2018. Information on the toll-free number, customer care number, partner dismantler(s) and recycler(s), list of collection centers, list of collection points and details of partner reverse logistics partner can be found here.
