Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a way of making companies responsible for the waste that their products create. The idea is that companies should have to pay for the cost of disposing of their products when they are no longer wanted or needed, instead of taxpayers. This is meant to encourage companies to design products that are easier to recycle or reuse, and to reduce the amount of waste that is produced.
EPR programs can take different forms, but they generally involve requiring companies to contribute money towards the cost of managing the disposal of their products. This can be through fees or deposits that are collected when the product is sold, or through a system of credits that can be traded. Companies may also be required to meet certain targets or standards related to the environmental impact of their products or the way they are disposed of.
Overall, the goal of EPR is to make companies more mindful of the environmental impact of their products and to encourage them to design products that are more sustainable. It is also meant to reduce the burden on taxpayers for managing waste and to ensure that the costs of disposing of products are reflected in the price of those products.