(packaging, waste electronic and electrical equipment, batteries and accumulator and end of life vehicles)
Workshop on the main requirements for the transposition and implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) related to EU legislation and the actions needed to establish EPR system in Albania was held on 17 October 2019. EPR is an obligation for the producers, which are companies that are placing on the internal market of Albania products, that after being used, are generating waste that belongs to one of the special waste streams, such as packaging, batteries and accumulators, waste electronic and electric equipment and end of life vehicles. These companies, as per EU waste legislation, become producers and have additional obligations and responsibilities to manage the waste which is generated from their products. Their obligations are regulated in a special legislative packaged on EU level. Some main obligations of the producer are to finance and establish system for collection, transportation, recycling or other way of treatment of the waste generated from their products they are placing on the market in Albania and to meet certain targets relevant for collection, recycling and treatment as established by the EU legislation or national legislation.
The workshop was open by minister Klosi and was chaired by deputy minister Cuci. At the workshop representatives from responsible institutions, donors and private sector’s stakeholders have participated. Experience of implementation of EPR system from Croatia, Hungary and North Macedonia was shared. The experts presented how the main requirements of EU directives have been implemented as well as how the EPR system was established and implemented in their respective countries.
Some key messages from the workshop were that Albania will need to meet the waste targets as set by EU waste legislation and has to prepare its waste management system as to be able to involve each actor in meeting these targets. The main actors, beside the producers, are the recycling companies, trade-commercial companies and municipalities. The MTE has a key role in establishing well functional EPR system and enforcing it, thus to be able to present how much the EU targets are met by Albania.
The main conclusion from the workshop was that Albania will need to establish EPR system as soon as possible to align with EU requirements, as well as to provide legal base for circular economy implementation.
