In the ministry, it was clarified that the EPR system is a state mechanism that places the responsibility for the disposal of their products at the end of their use on producers and importers of goods and packaging.
According to the Cabinet of Ministers' resolution No. 322 dated June 19, 2024, a list of 24 groups of goods subject to the EPR system was approved.
This list, as reported in the materials from the Ministry of Natural Resources, includes items such as batteries, tires, lubricating oils, packaging made of plastic, paper, and composite materials, as well as household appliances and a number of other products.
“Companies that produce or import the specified goods are required to pay the recycling fee. Importers must make the payment within 15 days from the date of importation of goods into Kyrgyzstan,” the ministry noted.
“Producers are required to pay the fee quarterly, by the 15th of the month following the reporting period. The implementation of the EPR system will be carried out by the state enterprise ‘Ekooperator’,” the statement added.
All funds from the payment of the recycling fee will be directed to the state budget and then used for the development of waste recycling infrastructure and the implementation of environmentally friendly technologies.
Context of the Issue
In 2024, the press service of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision reported that a recycling fee would be introduced in Kyrgyzstan for cars, electronics, and other goods.
The calculation of the recycling fee is made by multiplying the weight of the product and (or packaging) by the fee rate and the standard for waste recycling.
The list of goods subject to the recycling fee was established by a government decision and includes:
- batteries (including lead-acid and for electric vehicles);
- cars;
- household appliances;
- machine filters;
- plastic products;
- lubricating oils;
- packaging made of composite materials, including cardboard, rubber, and polymers;
- electronics;
When determining the amount of the recycling fee, the “Recycling Fee Rate” is used, which is calculated based on the average costs of collection, transportation, and recycling of a specific product.
The amount of the recycling fee may vary depending on the complexity of recycling a particular type of goods and packaging. The procedure for paying the recycling fee is being developed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and is expected to be approved by the end of the current year.
The ministry characterized this mechanism as the “EPR principle,” which implies the responsibility of producers and importers for paying the recycling fee for their goods and packaging.
“The collected funds will be directed towards the comprehensive development of the waste management system in the country, including collection, logistics, sorting, storage, the implementation of zero-waste technologies and disposal, as well as the construction of waste processing plants for extracting secondary raw materials and producing products from them, as well as extracting thermal and electrical energy,” the ministry commented.
