Extended Producer Responsibility and Local Government Exploring Municipal Roles in Managing Packaging and Paper Wastes

Abstract: This thesis profiles the experience of four municipalities under Swedish Extended Producer (EPR) systems for newsprint and packaging. Rationales behind a role for local governments and the experience of the municipalities are explored. EPR policies in principle relieve public sector actors of responsibility for waste management however local governments play several roles under the systems, particularly for information and collection of end-of-life products from consumers. Findings are that municipalities may perceive municipal organisations as more capable and willing to provide a higher environmental performance than private sector contractors and that municipalities lack regulatory tools to effectively influence local implementation. The thesis also identifies challenges for municipalities in negotiating contracts with producers that fully cover costs and finds that local political pressures can come to bear to continue delivering high levels of service to consumers irrespective of cost to the public systems. Waste statistics are unreliable and do not provide a reliable basis for comparing performance between municipal and private collection contractors nor between different municipalities. Recommendations are that producers should cover all system costs and municipalities working as collection contractors should do so entirely under market conditions. Local level performance measures and regulatory tools are required to ensure local performance of private sector and municipal contractors under the systems.