Pakistan Needs EPR Policy On Plastics, Say Experts

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 6th May, 2025) Experts at a National Stakeholder Consultation emphasized to initiate a path toward a robust national Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy on plastics in Pakistan.

The consultation on ‘Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Framework for Plastics’ was jointly organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) and European Union’s SWITCH-Asia Programme in Islamabad, said a press release.

The consultation aimed to assess the current status of EPR in Pakistan—reviewing policies, stakeholder roles, and identifying key barriers and enablers—while drafting inclusive and actionable recommendations for a national EPR framework. Stakeholder engagement from public authorities, industries, civil society, and the informal sector was a central theme.

Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Ms Romina Khurshid Alam, described EPR a ‘transformative opportunity’ and said: “It’s not a choice between economy and environment — it’s a strategy to align both. She added that EPR can attract investments, create formal jobs in recycling, reduce our plastic imports, and enhance competitiveness.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri urged the producers to prepare for upcoming EU and UK trade policies — the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) coming into effect on January 1, 2026, and the UK’s on January 1, 2027. “EPR will be a critical compliance tool under the new global trade regimes,” he maintained.

Stressing the need for green production practices, national recycling targets, producer registration systems, consumer-paid recycling fees, and incentives for eco-certifications, Dr Suleri called for integrating the informal sector, launching national awareness campaigns, and expanding EPR to include textiles and e-waste.

Team Leader of the SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component, Dr Zinaida Fadeeva, emphasized the importance of policy support in shaping national strategies around green procurement, sustainable product standards, and circular economy roadmaps, including the development of EPR responsibilities.

Thomas Lindhqvist, the Swedish academic who coined the term EPR, presented a global perspective on rising plastic consumption. He highlighted that EPR policies in Europe led to improved waste management and product design, while countries like Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea implemented effective EPR systems in Asia. Pointing out poor governance, he said: “Governments must supervise honestly and effectively. Without strong control, EPR can’t succeed.”

Head of Circularity at SDPI, Zainab Naeem, said the EU’s support under its Green Deal and Global Gateway would help countries, like Pakistan, in their transition toward a low-carbon, resource-efficient, and circular economy. She highlighted that the SWITCH-Asia programme, which supports 42 countries, plays a pivotal role in advising governments on sustainable consumption and production practices. She presented a detailed overview of Pakistan’s waste landscape, quoting the country generates around 49.6 million tons of solid waste annually, with plastic waste making up a significant portion of urban waste.