New EU legislation expanded producer responsibility from the beginning of 2024
EU-level legislation that entered into force at the beginning of 2024 will bring significant changes to companies' responsibilities regarding packaging. This new Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obliges all companies operating professionally in Finland that package products, import packaged products or sell their products to Finland through distance selling.
A new era of responsibility
As of January 1, 2024, many companies that were not previously producer responsible will now be subject to this expanded obligation. The new legislation aims to guide companies to design their packaging to be more environmentally friendly and more recyclable. Each packaging material has its own recycling rate targets, making responsibility a tangible and measurable part of companies' operations.
Who has producer responsibility?
From the beginning of 2024, a company will be considered a packaging producer if it:
- Manufactures and packages or has its products packaged
- Import packaged products (owning them at the time of entry)
- Produces service packaging, such as takeaway packaging for cafes and restaurants
- Manufactures packaging for unprocessed agricultural and horticultural products, similar to farmer packaging
These companies are responsible for the entire life cycle of the packaging they place on the market, including its waste management and the costs involved. This responsibility remains even if the packaging or logistics is outsourced to another operator.
What does this mean for businesses?
Companies must join a packaging producer association, such as Sumi Oy or Suomen Pakkaustuottajat Oy, to fulfill their producer responsibility. Producer associations charge their members recycling fees to cover the measures required by law, such as organizing recycling and littering costs.
Producer responsibility will increasingly be transferred to packaging producers, which will also affect product prices and companies' reporting requirements. For example, the data for 2023 will be reported to packagers for the last time by 29 February 2024. For 2024, responsibility will be transferred to packaging manufacturers and importers, which will be reflected in the allocation of SUP fees and recycling fees to these operators.
Year 2024 and beyond
In 2024, companies will have to comply with new reporting obligations and payment rules, which may also lead to changes in product prices. Empty cup reporting will begin in 2024, but the resulting payments will not come into effect until 2025.
Rinki acts on behalf of producer organizations, collecting packaging information from companies and providing an eco-point network and sorting advice for consumers.
Growing corporate responsibility
From 2024 onwards, corporate social responsibility legislation will impose more and more obligations on companies. Stay up to date with upcoming changes and obligations by following updates on Kuatro.fi, where we will add current information on legislative developments throughout the year.
ARTICLE SOURCES: Rinkiin.fi, Sumi.fi
