Georgia commits to introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in the national Waste Management Code. This will imply that producers take over the responsibility for preventing, collecting, separating and treating used products (waste) for their eventual recovery. EPR is considered a key financial and operational instrument which promotes the implementation of waste management schemes in line with the waste hierarchy as laid down by the Code and the development of a resource-efficient economy. The principle of EPR will be introduced gradually in Georgia by improving legislative framework and infrastructure, elaborating incentives for target groups, capacity building at national and local level. By introducing the EPR, producers will take over the responsibility for collecting or taking back used goods and for sorting and treating for their eventual recycling. Such responsibility may be merely financial or organisational as well. At the same time, it is an environmental policy approach which reduces the negative impact on the environment.
The commitment falls under focus area 5 of the Batumi Initiative to development physical capital for sustainable production patterns.
Implementing partners will include the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, Ministry of Finance and the Private Sector.
The commitment is relevant to SDG targets 9.4, 11.6, 12.4 and 12.5.