Business for Extended Producer Responsibility
Project time period
February 2020 – 2024
Project Description
With this initiative, we encourage the Armenian business community to join the efforts in establishing a transparent, efficient, and sustainable post-consumer waste management system to meet Armenia’s obligations to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system by 2023. This commitment is part of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between EU and RA of Armenia in 2017:
While Nature Protection Payments (Բնապահպանական վճարներ) aim to mitigate the damages caused to the environment, the Extended Producer Responsibility system ensures the proper handling of specific post-consumer waste products (tires, batteries, packaging, etc.) that producers or importers have put in the market.
The models of Extended Producer Responsibility vary from country to country, and Armenia is yet to develop and adopt the best working model that would meet its environmental and economic needs. The global practice shows that the earlier the businesses engage in the initial stages of strategy development, the better model the country adopts. While the RA Government is obliged to create the necessary legislative framework, the role of the private sector is to support this process through the following:
Engage in a dialogue with the government and follow up on policy development,
Co-finance the research/study of various scenarios for the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Armenia and the development of an appropriate model according to international experience.
It is important that the private sector takes an active role in the creation of the best recycling system for post-consumer waste separation and reuse and recycling.
Municipal post-consumer waste (PCW) management is in a development stage in Armenia and the business community needs to produce data and evidence on deciding the best case scenario to increase the separate collection and recovery of packaging waste in the most effective and efficient way to create a win-win scenario that will meet compliance targets and at the same time mitigate potential tax implications on business.
Harutyun Alpetyan
AUA Acopian Center for the Environment
Email: alpetyan[at]aua.am, ace[at]aua.am
Phone: +374 60 612 693
– Engage in a Policy Dialogue with the government on EPR and follow up on policy development.
– Develop a ToR for a study on various scenarios for the introduction of an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Armenia and the development of an appropriate model according to international experience.
– Co-finance and commission the study to an international consultant.
– Communicate the conducted study results and engage the business community in the further policy development.
– Analysis of the current PCW situation, specifically volumes, types, collectors, recyclers, and opportunities
– Best-case implementation plan/guidance scenario for taking actions with the best expert agency.
– Engagement with the government and negotiate the best-case scenario of collaboration to drive the agenda and support the business interests.
American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (AmCham), European Business Association (EBA) in Armenia, the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia (UMBA)