Press Release: Petition launched to extend Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to the entire Dutch Kingdom

Petition to extend Extended Producer Responsibility to Curacao

Willemstad, October 13, 2024 – Green Phenix has launched a petition to extend the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to all parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including the Caribbean islands. The initiative calls on the governments of the Kingdom to hold producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, both inside and outside of the Netherlands.

EPR is a crucial instrument for reducing the environmental impact of waste, but it currently only applies within the Netherlands. This means that producers are responsible for recycling and waste management only within the European borders. However, products exported to islands like Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten are exempt from this regulation. This has significant environmental consequences for these islands, which often have limited resources to manage their waste.

“The responsibility of producers should extend beyond the borders of the Netherlands. The islands in the Kingdom are faced with large amounts of waste, while producers do not contribute to the costs of waste management,” says Sabine Berendse, initiator of the petition. “It is time to recognize that waste management is a shared responsibility within the Kingdom, and that producers selling products in these markets must also take responsibility.”

Extending the EPR to the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom would require producers to contribute financially to recycling programs, just as they already do in the Netherlands. This would not only benefit the environment but also reduce the burden on local governments, who are currently responsible for the costs of litter cleanup and waste processing.

The petition can be signed online at the following link: Extend the Extended Producer Responsibility to the entire Kingdom – Petities.nl. Green Phenix hopes to gather widespread support to put the expansion of EPR on the political agenda at the Kingdom level.

About Green Phenix

Green Phenix is an advocate for reducing plastic pollution and promoting sustainable development in the Caribbean. With this initiative, the organization aims to bridge the gap between Dutch legislation and the realities of waste management in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.

Call to Action

We call on everyone to show their support by signing the petition and contributing to a more sustainable future for the entire Kingdom. Together, we can ensure that producers take responsibility for their products, no matter where they end up.

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