New regulations on waste recycling

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Representatives of the business union "Georgian Employers' Association" attended the presentation of the project "Support for the introduction of the principle of "extended producer responsibility" (EPO) defined by the Waste Management Code", which was organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection. It should be noted that the Waste Management Code imposes a number of new obligations on both public and private sector representatives. One of these requirements is the introduction of the principle of "extended producer responsibility" (EPC) in Georgia. In particular, according to Article 9 of the Code, direct producers and marketers of such products, which subsequently become specific waste, are obliged to ensure the reduction of the negative impact of specific waste generated from the product on the environment and the recovery/disposal of such waste. "The new requirements that the legislation imposes on business generally require the addition of human and financial resources to the company. Of course, from the private sector, this requires additional investments, spending of monetary resources, which is not good, because it ultimately affects the cost of the product and increases its price," says Lasha Labadze, executive director of the Association of Georgian Employers. The business association GEA plans to launch an active information campaign to familiarize member companies with the new regulations, so that they are prepared to meet the relevant news.