Armenia’s waste management sector is on the verge of a major transformation with the planned introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system. With technical support from the American University of Armenia (AUA), Armenia’s Ministry of Environment has developed a draft Law on Extended Producer Responsibility.
According to Harutyun Alpetyan, Head of Waste Policy Armenia program implemented by the Acopian Center for the Environment at AUA, the draft law’s regulatory impact assessment package, including its economic impact assessment, has already been completed and will soon enter interagency review.
The Extended Producer Responsibility system will require producers and importers of certain products to assume responsibility for the environmentally sound management of waste generated from the use of those products.
The proposed legislation covers products that generate waste streams such as glass, paper, plastic and metal packaging, spent primary batteries and accumulators, end-of-life vehicle tires, oils, filters, and waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Funds contributed by producers and importers will be used to finance the collection, sorting, recycling, reuse, and recovery of these waste streams.
One of the most critical elements of EPR implementation is source separation of waste. By ensuring that waste is sorted at the point of generation, recyclers will receive cleaner and higher-quality materials, allowing for more efficient and higher-value recycling. At the same time, the system is expected to foster more responsible waste management behavior among citizens.
According to Harutyun Alpetyan, the entire value chain-from collection and transportation to recycling and recovery-will operate on a contractual basis, enabling effective tracking of waste volumes and flows.
Specific recycling targets will be established for each waste stream. For example, in the case of PET plastic, the goal is to achieve a 25 percent recycling rate in the first year of implementation. The long-term objective is considerably more ambitious: to recycle 95 percent of PET plastic waste.
“If a Producer Responsibility Organization fails to meet the established recycling targets, substantial penalties will apply. Naturally, Producer Responsibility Organizations will be motivated to achieve those targets, and this is precisely what makes EPR an economic instrument. It creates both financial resources and institutional capacity,” Harutyun Alpetyan noted.
He added that the primary objective is to ensure that the mechanism begins functioning effectively as a comprehensive system.
June 03, 2026 at 15:12