The Extended Producer Responsibility Law (REP Law) is a regulatory framework designed to promote the circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of products throughout their life cycle. Although its implementation may seem complex, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), there are practical steps that can facilitate this process and ensure smooth compliance.
In this guide, we present the keys to complying with the REP Law, highlighting the importance of sustainability and the fundamental role of SMEs in the transition towards a more circular economic model.
1. Understand the REP Law requirements
The first step is to understand what products the REP Law regulates and how it affects your company. In general, the law applies to priority products such as packaging, tires, lubricating oils, batteries, electrical and electronic devices, among others.
What does the REP Law require?
- Ensure proper management of waste generated by your products.
- Meet collection and recovery goals defined by the government.
- Report and demonstrate your compliance through established systems.
Useful resource:
Check the Chilean Ministry of the Environment (MMA) website to learn about specific goals and guidelines for your sector.
2. Evaluate the impact of your products
Perform a life cycle analysis of your products to identify areas where you can reduce waste, improve recyclability or adopt more sustainable materials.
Recommended actions:
- Replace difficult-to-recycle materials with more environmentally friendly options.
- Design products with a circular economy approach, facilitating their disassembly and recycling.
- Implement return programs for used products, such as refill systems or direct collection.
3. Join a Collective Management System
For many SMEs, managing waste individually can be costly and complicated. Joining a Collective Management System (CMS) is an efficient and practical solution.
Advantages of CMS:
- They distribute costs among several companies, making them more accessible.
- They facilitate compliance with established collection and recovery goals.
- They provide technical and logistical support for waste management.
Useful resource:
Check approved management systems in Chile on the MMA portal or look for associations related to your industry.
4. Train your team and raise awareness
The transition to compliance with the REP Law does not only involve technical changes, but also a cultural change within your company.
How to do it:
- Train your employees on the goals and benefits of the REP Law.
- Design internal campaigns to promote sustainability and the circular economy.
- Educate your customers on how to participate, for example, by returning products or sorting waste.
5. Measure and report your impact
Transparency is key to complying with the EPR Law. You must keep clear records on the quantities of products marketed, collected and valued.
Useful tools:
- Use specialized software to monitor and report data related to waste.
- Work with external auditors to ensure the accuracy of your reports.
- Benefits of compliance for SMEs
- Complying with the EPR Law not only avoids sanctions, but also generates advantages for your company:
- Competitiveness: Consumers increasingly value responsible companies.
- Savings: Designing sustainable products can reduce costs in the long term.
- Reputation: Complying with environmental standards improves the perception of your brand.
SMEs play a key role in the transition to a circular economy. Adapting to the EPR Law may seem like a challenge, but with the right information and the necessary support, compliance is achievable. This effort not only helps protect the environment, but also positions your company as a leader in sustainability.
At Mercado Circular, we are here to help you on this path, offering you solutions and tools to simplify the implementation of the EPR Law. Ready to take the next step towards sustainability?
Sources:
- Ministerio del Medio Ambiente, Chile: Ley REP
- Noticias ONU Medio Ambiente: Economía Circular en América Latina
- Manuales de Economía Circular, Fundación Ellen MacArthur: Economía Circular y Empresas