PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Paris-Tuesday December 13 ,2022
Zambia will soon strengthen its regulations to compel companies producing material goods and products to implement the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) without fail.
The EPR model is based on the polluter pay principle in which manufacturers and importers of products are required to bear a significant degree of responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product life-cycle.
Minister of Green Economy and Environment Collins Nzovu said Zambia has no option but to strengthen the existing semi-mandatory EPR Regulations Statutory Instrument No. 65 of 2018 which will compel companies to actively participate and finance waste management and recycling of their packaging after the use of their goods by customers.
Mr Nzovu said this during a visit to a French based company Citeo to appreciate and learn best practices of how the organization has successfully coordinated EPR amongst Producers, Municipalities and Consumers.
Mr Nzovu said the responsibility of the companies should not only end at selling the product but should extend to waste management and recycling for sustainable environmental management.
And Zambia Environmental Management Agency, Director for planning,information and research Maxwell Nkoya requested for urgent technical support from Citeo to effectively implement the extended producer responsibility aimed at minimising the impact caused by waste materials on the environment.
Meanwhile, Citeo Director General Jean Hornain said through EPR his company makes an annual revenue of 1 billion euro, money paid by 30,000 companies each time they sell their products.
Citeo uses the money to help companies have all the packaging recyclable.
Mr Honain further said the goal of EPR is to ensure companies contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing their packaging ,reusing and recycling in the circular economy which results in the preservation of resources and biodiversity as well as reduction of carbon impact of products placed on the market.
Issued by:
Naomi Ng’andu Mweemba
First Secretary Press
Zambian Embassy
Paris
