General Information
Estonian PackCycling (EPC)/Eesti Pakendiringlus was established in May, 2004.
EPC is a non-profit organization and does not share profit among its owners. All
profit is reinvested to the collection and recovery for decreasing total costs.
EPC's mission is to help to improve the state of evironment of Estonia and
awareness of environmental issues and sustainable development in Estonia.
EPC´s aim is to help packaging operators to fulfill Packaging Act in
economically reasonable, socially acceptable and environmentally effective way
by taking over their obligations.
EPC represents the interests of its clients in cooperation with public
institutions.
The scope of responsibility is to collect and recover its clients' packaging
waste and to guarantee reporting for Packaging Register.
Organisation
Estonian PackCycling was founded in 2004 by packers. The highest decision making
body is General Meeting which nominates the Board. Board is responsible for
fulfillment of EPC's targets. Board consists of 6 members.
EPC is a collaborative industry body through which businesses work together to
achieve the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. Membership is open to all
types of obligated companies including manufacturers, converters,
packer/fillers, sellers and also all sectors of industry. It aims to take the
pressure away from businesses that would find it difficult and time consuming to
comply with any legislation on an individual basis.
Facts & Figures
| Population | 1,356 000 |
| No. of Local Authorities | 227 |
| Packaging | 120 000 tonnes (2002) |
| Members & Clients | 1800 |
| Market share | ~60% |
| Types of packaging | All packaging |
Financing
Estonian PackCycling (EPC) is a non-profit organization. It finances its
activities by recovery fee.
In compliance with the user-pays principle, the recovery fees are calculated on
the basis of the material used, the weight of items sold. They also take account
of the different costs incurred for collecting and sorting the packaging
materials and, in the case of plastics, for recycling. The companies pay only
for those items of packaging they put on to the Estonian market.
Legal basis
The Packaging Act introduced in June 2004 sets recovery targets for all
packaging placed on the market and deposit system for one way packaging of beer,
alcohol drink with low ethanol content and soft drinks in glass, plastic and
metal packaging as of January 1, 2005.
The existing norms of the Packaging Act require collection and recovery of 50%
of total packaging put in the market by packaging operator (packer and importer)
in 2004, up to 2009 - 60%, and from 2012 - to comply with all EU norms.
The introduction of the Packaging Act has also triggered introduction of
Compliance Scheme in Estonia. The packaging recovery organization, called "Eesti
Pakendiringlus/Estonian PackCycling (EPC)" has been established by producers,
importers and retailers operating in Estonia.
According to the Packaging Act the number of recovery organizations is not
limited, but they have to fulfill requirements and get a license for operation
from Estonian Ministry of Environment. The law says that all manufacturers,
packers and importers are entitled to transfer the fulfillment of packaging
recycle norms to a non-governmental organization established by themselves. If
producers or importers haven not joined such organization, they have to organize
recovery of their packaging themselves.
Address
Estonian PackCycling (EPC)
Mr Aivo Kangus
Vana-Narva mnt. 26
74114 Maardu
ESTONIA
Phone: 00372/633 9240
Fax: 00372/633 9241
Mobile: 00372/50 79 315
For more detailed information concerning this package recovery system please
click on the address of the website
www.pakendiringlus.ee or send an Email:
info@pakendiringlus.ee
See the English version of the contract with the Packaging Enterpreneur
