Pakistan's Invisible Recyclers: Key to EPR?

Pakistan faces a growing plastic waste problem, with projections indicating 12 million tonnes by 2040 if urgent interventions aren't made. Informal waste pickers, including children, currently manage approximately 40% of the nation's waste.

Initiatives like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) are being proposed to shift the financial burden of waste management from consumers to producers. This framework aims to improve plastic management throughout a product's lifecycle, fostering a circular economy. Companies and NGOs have formed the CoRE Alliance to advocate for a national EPR system.

Experts stress that any EPR framework must recognize and include the estimated 200,000 to 333,000 individuals in Pakistan's unorganized waste sector. Without acknowledging these "frontline partners," the success of EPR is doubtful.

Localized models, such as cooperatives in Sahiwal, are being tested as potential solutions. Companies that have experience with EPR in other regions suggest adapting international best practices to Pakistan's specific legal and economic context.

Challenges include formalizing an informal economy where many workers, like 10-year-old Faisal Asadullah, operate without formal identification or social protection. The cost of waste cleanup may initially fall on the formal sector, but advocates believe building trust can lead to shared responsibility.

Neighboring India's experience with EPR since 2020 highlights implementation difficulties, with many producers failing to meet targets due to weak enforcement and a focus on downstream solutions rather than product redesign.