Here is Africa’s guide to effective EPR systems

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For a system of Extended Producer Responsibility to be effective across Africa, clear transnational guidelines are needed. The continent now has those. UNDP started to promote across Africa a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for PET bottles that was created in the Seychelles. Since 2007, the initiative has diverted more than 400 million bottles and was showcased on 15 October at the Africa Circular Economy Alliance meeting in Addis Ababa.

• The Seychelloise DRS makes consumers pay a small levy and earn refunds for beverage bottles, creating a self-sustaining EPR model that unites producers, consumers and government in circular responsibility.

• For African countries facing low recycling rates and landfill dependence, the Seychelles model shows that a simple, well-governed EPR system can achieve high recovery rates and long-term financial sustainability.

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