Guided by principles like Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Kerala's Extended Producer Responsibility policy aims to operationalise a circular economy in the state, promote alternatives to single-use materials, and implement mechanisms such as the Green Protocol and Zero-Waste initiatives.
Published Jul 16, 2025 | 3:44 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 16, 2025 | 3:44 PM
Under the proposed system, consumers in Kerala would pay a small deposit while purchasing products like PET bottles and aluminum cans, refundable upon returning the used containers to designated collection points or reverse vending machines. Pictured, a littered waterbody.
Synopsis: The state’s new policy will not just target plastic packaging, but also extend to e-waste, used tyres, used oil, and battery waste — creating a robust, statewide system where industries, consumers, local governments, and informal waste pickers work together for a cleaner, more sustainable Kerala.
Kerala is poised to rewrite its waste management story by introducing a comprehensive Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy — a first-of-its-kind state-level framework in the country designed to hold producers accountable for the waste generated by their products.
Envisioned as a crucial step towards a Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam (Litter-Free New Kerala), the policy aims to shift the responsibility of managing non-biodegradable waste from local bodies to manufacturers and brand owners, encouraging sustainable product design, enhanced recyclability, and investment in circular economy practices.
According to the Local Self-Government Department (LSGD), the new policy will not just target plastic packaging, but also extend to e-waste, used tyres, used oil, and battery waste — creating a robust, statewide system where industries, consumers, local governments, and informal waste pickers work together for a cleaner, more sustainable Kerala.
EPR is an environmental policy approach that places the onus of managing a product’s lifecycle — from creation to end-of-life disposal — on its producer. Rooted in the Polluter Pays principle, EPR moves beyond merely shifting waste management costs from consumers and governments to producers.
Its primary objective is to fundamentally reshape the link between product design and waste generation, encouraging manufacturers to innovate in materials, design, and packaging to reduce environmental harm. This includes using recyclable or eco-friendly materials, designing products for easier disassembly, and minimizing hazardous substances.
EPR operates through administrative, economic, and informative measures, fostering collaboration between producers, local governments, and waste management systems. Producers are expected to support and finance the collection, recycling, and safe disposal of post-consumer waste, reducing the environmental footprint of their products. Aligned with circular economy principles, EPR promotes resource conservation, pollution prevention, and responsible waste handling.
In India, EPR was formally introduced through the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and E-Waste Management Rules, 2016, making producers legally accountable for managing plastic packaging and electronic waste. Today, it remains a key policy tool for sustainable waste governance, with an expanding scope across various product categories.
According to LSGD, Kerala is moving towards a structured, statewide framework for EPR as part of its evolving waste management strategy.
While the state introduced its Solid Waste Management Policy in 2018, emphasising EPR to hold producers accountable for the waste they generate, recent national guidelines have accelerated the need for a comprehensive policy.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) issued detailed EPR guidelines for plastic waste in 2022, followed by regulations for e-waste, used tyres, batteries, and used oil.
Aligning with these, the Kerala State Pollution Control Board has been registering obligated entities and monitoring compliance.
Now, the LSGD drafted Kerala’s State Policy on EPR — a guiding document that will align with national regulations and support the state’s ambitious Malinya Muktha Nava Keralam campaign.
While earlier frameworks largely targeted plastic packaging, the new policy is designed as an overarching framework covering multiple categories of non-biodegradable waste.
The initiative seeks to build a sustainable circular economy, promoting recycling and efficient resource use.
It envisions collaboration among producers, industries, local governments, waste pickers, and communities to reshape Kerala’s waste management landscape through shared responsibility and inclusive practices.
For a state that follows a decentralised waste management system rooted in constitutional provisions of local self-governance, it’s the local bodies that lead waste collection, segregation, and disposal.
The state generates around 2.5 million tonnes of waste annually, dominated by organic waste, plastics, e-waste, and hazardous materials.
While biodegradable waste is treated at source, non-biodegradable waste is collected door-to-door by Kudumbashree’s Haritha Karma Sena and further sorted at the local level for sale to registered recyclers.
Agencies like the Suchithwa Mission, Clean Kerala Company, and the State Pollution Control Board support and regulate these activities.
However, producer participation in waste management remains negligible, despite the EPR framework mandating their involvement.
Presently, private recyclers and waste handlers remain the key players.
Experts believe that effective EPR implementation in Kerala could unlock producer funds, expertise, and infrastructure support — strengthening segregation systems, waste processing units, and sustainable material management, which the state’s decentralised model critically needs.
Kerala’s policy on EPR envisions a sustainable, employment-generating waste management system by involving producers, local self-governments, and waste management agencies.
It seeks to explore various operational models for managing non-biodegradable waste, leveraging funds and technical expertise from relevant stakeholders.
Guided by principles like Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, the policy aims to operationalise a circular economy in the state, promote alternatives to single-use materials, and implement mechanisms such as the Green Protocol and Zero Waste initiatives.
It encourages private sector investments in recycling and advanced waste management technologies while fostering Public Private Partnerships (PPP).
The policy mandates producers to phase out rejects and inert materials that cannot be recycled, recovered, or repurposed, and promotes take-back systems for such waste.
Upholding the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle, the EPR framework also prioritises using EPR funds for waste collection and transport through authorised collectors, ensuring an efficient and responsible waste management ecosystem for Kerala.
While multiple departments play a role in its implementation, the Labour Department holds a crucial mandate in formalising the roles of waste pickers and other informal workers, says the policy.
This move will grant them fair wages, social security, legal recognition, and safer working conditions, it notes.
Given the hazardous nature of waste handling, the department is expected to enforce safety protocols, provide personal protective equipment, and conduct regular inspections.
As EPR policies expand, creating more jobs in collection, sorting, and recycling, the Labour Department can collaborate with local bodies and producer responsibility organizations to ensure sustainable employment and access to benefits like healthcare and insurance.
This formalisation not only safeguards workers’ rights but also strengthens the waste management sector, contributing to public health and local economic resilience.
The policy also mulls a Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) as part of its waste management reforms, aiming to curb littering and strengthen recycling infrastructure.
Under the proposed system, consumers would pay a small deposit while purchasing products like PET bottles and aluminum cans, refundable upon returning the used containers to designated collection points or reverse vending machines.
The policy seeks to integrate DRS with EPR systems, encouraging producers to adopt eco-friendly packaging and take greater accountability for post-consumer waste.
By isolating high-value materials through targeted collection, the scheme promises improved recycling rates and material quality.
It also envisions bringing transparency to Kerala’s vibrant informal collection economy, offering financial incentives to both consumers and waste workers.
Authorities plan awareness campaigns to drive participation, positioning DRS as a crucial step towards a cleaner, circular economy for the state.
Another key recommendation in the policy is the establishment of dedicated Reduce, Reuse, and Repair Centres across the state.
These centres are aimed at making EPR more effective by partnering Local Self-Government (LSG) bodies with producers to set up refill and repair stations for various consumer products.
Customers will be encouraged to refill or repair items instead of discarding them, reducing waste at the source. Specific health and safety protocols will be developed to ensure public confidence in the process.
The state also plans to offer incentives such as tax rebates and shared investment opportunities to attract private companies to manage these centres.
The proposal extends to sectors like plastic packaging, e-waste, and used tyres, with plans to establish collection hubs, repair units, recycling facilities, and technician training programmes.
This integrated model hopes to cut down landfill waste and promote a culture of the circular economy.
According to LSGD, the policy will be implemented through a carefully phased approach, integrating regulatory frameworks, technological adoption, and robust stakeholder engagement.
The state will launch a pilot phase targeting high-impact waste sectors like plastics and electronics, testing models such as Deposit Refund Schemes (DRS) at tourism hotspots, pilgrimage centres, and transport hubs in collaboration with departments like Tourism, Excise, and Railways.
Recognising the need for public participation, Kerala will prioritise consumer research to identify behavioural barriers and design awareness campaigns in partnership with NGOs and academic bodies.
The initiative aims to maximise existing infrastructure while gradually introducing EPR norms for emerging waste streams such as textiles, sanitary waste, and construction debris.
This strategy positions Kerala to transition towards a sustainable waste management system and a circular economy model, setting a benchmark for other states in inclusive, adaptive environmental policy implementation.
While environmentalists and local bodies in general have largely welcomed the state’s move to institutionalise an EPR policy, calling it a long-overdue intervention to address the growing crisis of non-biodegradable waste, they stressed the need for transparent fund utilisation, fair treatment of informal waste workers, and strict monitoring to prevent token compliance by industries.
They believe the policy could finally bring producers into the waste management chain, easing the burden on overstretched local bodies and Kudumbashree-led Haritha Karma Sena workers. Many also hope it will catalyse private investments in recycling infrastructure and sustainable alternatives.
They opined that if implemented effectively, Kerala’s EPR policy could be a pioneering national model for decentralised, producer-driven waste management.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
