Data Requirements for EPR Reporting
by Imogen Rudge at 16:56 in Packaging, Battery, WEEE
Many countries around the world have established extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws; yet to companies new to this sector, it can often be unclear what data is necessary upon complying with these regulations. Each country's EPR system varies, meaning that there are different data requirements and obligations for each, alongside many differing report forms.
Subsequently, effective data management is imperative. This can bring a multitude of benefits to your company, which are further explored here: Why Data is King when looking at EPR - Lorax EPI (loraxcompliance.com). To provide clarity on the complex nature of EPR reports, some of the types of data you may be required to submit are explored in this blog.
What Data do I Need?
Once an EPR obligation is confirmed for your business, a general checklist of packaging data can be drafted. At a minimum, expect to provide packaging weight by material (not including the product itself), sales, and the type of each individual product. For example, the sale of a bottle of water could perhaps require the reporting of a plastic bottle, cap, and label, alongside the individual weight of each component excluding the water itself.
Material Type
In most cases, the specific material type of each packaging component is also mandatory, e.g. plastic polymer type. For example, whether a plastic bag is made of LDPE, HDPE, or any other plastic film should be examined. This information can also be helpful when considering recycling systems. There is a current emphasis in some countries on higher EPR fees for polymers that create difficulty or high cost when recycling, therefore having this data granularity could prove further useful.
Electrical Equipment and Batteries
The reporting of waste electrical equipment (WEEE) or products containing batteries is an additional requirement in certain countries, and each country may have different categories that these items should be declared in. Hence, it is vital to ensure that batteries and electrical products are not overlooked when gathering data.
Alongside this data baseline, it may also be useful to collect:
- Plastic rigidity (is it rigid or flexible plastic packaging)
- Import/export figures
- Packaging level, for example whether it is primary (in immediate contact with the product, e.g. a drink can) or secondary (the packaging that protects the primary packaging, e.g. the shrink film used to wrap 12 drink cans)
How we can help
Lorax EPI holds both the expertise and tools to help you with any data requirements faced. Tailored compliance assessments and data gap analyses, as well as an in-house software solution able to produce country-specific data reports, are just some of the services we provide.
Click here to read more about Consultancy: Environmental Consulting Services - Lorax EPI (loraxcompliance.com), or here for Software reporting: EPR Reporting and Compliance Software - Lorax EPI (loraxcompliance.com).
If you would like further information on how we can support you with data requirements, contact us today at Contact - Lorax EPI (loraxcompliance.com).
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