A Study on the Reorganization Plan of PROs according to the Expansion of EPR Items for Plastic Products

Abstract

A legislative notice was announced in 2021 that 17 plastic products managed through a voluntary agreement system for more than five years would be transferred to the extended producer responsibility (EPR) system. Accordingly, related industries have been thinking about whether to transfer to the EPR system and to form a producer responsibility organization (PRO). This study investigated how the PROs should be established, including the existing five plastic packaging materials and products. It was also studied that it is desirable for product groups to be incorporated into an integrated PRO rather than a single PRO. Furthermore, the integrated PRO plan is the [3rd alternative], which is to design the PRO as the existing ① household goods (existing packaging material + add 1 new item), ② agricultural and fishery goods (existing 4 items + add 3 new items), and the newly established ③ industrial goods (6 new items), and ④ construction goods (7 new items). In addition, considering the product’s characteristics, it is suggested that the industry establishes a separate autonomous management system for ⑤ products with a long life cycle such as construction items and ⑥ returnable products such as plastic pallets.