In 2025, the E.U. will introduce a policy called "Extended Producer Responsibility", which means a company who produces products that are likely to become waste, will have a fiscal responsibility to ensure that material is recycled.
What that might look like, according to the experts, is that manufacturers will band together to buy back the materials (probably at a cost) and then be responsible for ensuring it's turned into usable material, so it can go around the block again.
So a company who makes drinks in cans and bottles, will now have a financial obligation to ensure the products it sends out, actually come back for recycling. This is typically an expense taxpayers wear as part of their council waste collection.
If this extends beyond the EU—which is a big "if"—it potentially spells the end for low quality products globally. It'll just be too expensive to buy back all the crap (dropshippers beware 🤨).
We've all heard "they don't make 'em like they used to", referring to flimsy products that used to be made more sturdy.
...imagine that phrase meant the opposite. "Thank goodness they don't make 'em like they used to!".
Maybe soon...
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