The objective is to help Member States implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and ensure that these costs do not exceed what is necessary for efficient service provision.

Key developments and established guidelines include:

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Scope of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) costs.

Producers of single-use plastic products are required to cover the costs of cleaning up spills of scattered waste, as well as its subsequent transport and treatment.

Specifically, these products are:

• Food containers.
• Containers and packaging.
• Beverage containers.
• Beverage cups.
• Lightweight plastic bags.
• Wet wipes.
• Balloons.
• Tobacco products with filters

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Clarifications of definitions.

Several crucial clarifications and scopes are established for the application of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR):

• Definition of Dispersed Waste: “Dispersed waste” is defined as deliberately or negligently discarded post-consumer waste that pollutes the environment. This includes waste collected at the inlets of sewage systems, such as discarded wet wipes, but excludes the costs of closing illegal dumps or waste collected through standard public systems (such as litter garbage cans).
• Producer: is defined as manufacturers, fillers, sellers or importers established in a Member State who place single-use plastic products on the market in that State, or established sellers who sell directly to households or other users in another Member State. “Placing on the market” refers to the first placing on the market of the product.
• Cleanup: Means the removal of scattered garbage from areas where it was improperly disposed of or from areas to which it has been moved due to environmental factors. Includes cleaning and removal of single-use plastic products from municipal wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure and, if necessary, maintenance activities to unclog the infrastructure.

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Covered Activities.

Costs are limited to activities carried out by or “on behalf of” public authorities. This covers:

• Subcontracted activities, periodic cleaning and sweeping.
• Officially organized cleanup of natural areas.
• Voluntary and non-profit collection of scattered garbage provided that there is a prior contract or agreement with the competent authority.
• Cleaning and removal of single-use plastic products from municipal wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure to prevent clogging.

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Costing Principles.

The calculation methodology must follow the principles of:

• Economic efficiency: ensuring that costs do not exceed what is necessary for efficient service delivery.
• Transparency: informing the parties involved on how the cost system is established.
• Proportionality: based on reliable data and being proportional to the amount of products on the market and the composition of the scattered waste.

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Methodologies to Calculate Quantities.

Two main options are suggested for calculating the amount of single-use plastic products in the collected trash:

• Input-based methodologies: These are based on the mass (weight) or quantity (number of items) of single-use plastic products that have been introduced into the market. This method uses market data and then estimates what percentage of those products are dumped as scattered litter.
• Results-based methodologies: These are based on sampling studies and periodic analysis of the composition of the dispersed waste that has been collected. For their application, the correct determination of the unit of measurement (quantity, weight or volume) is essential.

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Allocation of Costs to Producers.

Costs should be allocated on the basis of weight, volume or quantity of the product category, bearing in mind that the choice of method has a significant influence on some products.

The use of multi-year lump sums is also allowed to minimize administrative costs, as long as the costs do not exceed what is necessary.