Beyond existing measures and schemes, the application of EPR principles can facilitate systemic change in our approach to waste and products. The first discussion panel focused on how design and implementation of EPR policies should motivate producers to improve the design of their products and packaging, facilitating circular business models such as performance-based contracting, maintenance, reuse, recycling, cradle-to-cradle, sharing platforms. The panel also addressed how outcomes and experiences gained through EPR on packaging could be applied to more products and sectors, starting with the ones producing the most waste and litter, helping to achieve the result of motivating industries to continuously improve their products and processes and stimulating citizens to adopt more sustainable consumption behaviours

 

 

EU policy framework on waste have demonstrated successes in increasing rates of collection and recycling, but further efforts should be made to meet circular economy objectives beyond recycling, meaning decreasing waste production. The panel discussed which policy options for a revision of the Waste Framework Directive could work to reach municipal waste prevention objectives, and how cities and regions are already working on good practices to make circular economy a tangible and not so far future.