The concept of Extended Producer Responsibility, as referred to in Directive (EU) 2018/851 of the European Parliament and of the Council, indicates that the amount of fees paid by entrepreneurs introducing packaged products into EU markets should be differentiated according to the characteristics of the packaging used, in particular its durability, reusability and recyclability, and the presence of hazardous substances. The less environmentally friendly the packaging, the more the trader introducing it will pay for subsequent collection and management.

Based on Interzero's experience, we have identified 3 main difficulties in packaging recycling:

• Inadequate packaging - Poor packaging design can confuse intelligent sorting machines, leading to lower recycling rates. For example, the use of oversized labels and black plastics means that sorting machines do not correctly recognise the packaging material.
• Using a combination of different materials in one package - can make it difficult for consumers to correctly separate or assign the packaging to the correct fraction. Even in the case of a jar with a paper label and metal lid, separation by the consumer can sometimes be problematic, as they are not sure which parts to separate (lid) and which parts to leave (label), as they are not a barrier to glass recycling. The biggest challenge, however, is posed by multi-material packaging (e.g. aluminium-coated snack bags), where separation of the individual raw materials is completely impossible.
• Low level of education - packaging is sometimes simply thrown away in the wrong container so that it cannot reach the right recycler.