Experts in legislation and representatives of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems emphasized yesterday in Valencia that compliance with regulations for managing industrial and commercial packaging waste is just as important as the method used, and they also requested greater support from the Spanish government.

Complying with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is now mandatory for all companies that market products with packaging in Spain. The first step is to register with the Ministry's Product Producer Registry in its packaging section, where it is estimated that more than 50% of the required companies have not yet registered. The next step is to submit the annual packaging declaration, the deadline for which is April 2, 2026. Following this is the financing of packaging management for products placed on the market, as well as compliance with prevention, recycling, and reuse targets, among others.

With the aim of supporting companies in this process, the Packaging Innovation Cluster organized the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) trade fair, which brought together more than 200 professionals. This event provided an opportunity to share knowledge, experiences, and solutions regarding the proper management of packaging waste and the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

With the support of the Valencian Regional Government's Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade, and Tourism, the fair brought together the main EPR organizations operating in Spain. These included Implica, Envalora, Procircular, Ecolec Envases, Ecoembes, Genci, Punto Greta, Sigfito, Aevae, Cartón Circular, and Ecotic, which offered information, guidance, and practical solutions to facilitate compliance with regulations.

Compliance Complexity
Jesús Pérez, director of the Cluster, welcomed attendees and emphasized that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) continues to generate questions. Therefore, they have created a space designed for companies, offering clear, rigorous, and well-reasoned information to help them make confident decisions.

Likewise, Patricia Ramos-Catalina, operations director of Implica, opened the series of presentations and stressed that complying with EPR is not only an obligation but also an opportunity to do it right from the start, and that compliance is just as important as how it is achieved. She also explained that Implica has comprehensive management of collection points, complete waste traceability, an operating model adapted to each type of packaging, and has managed 400,000 tons with all the necessary guarantees.

Meanwhile, in the words of Joan Ros, CEO of Envalora, EPR requires vision, coordination, and legal certainty. In her presentation, she addressed the main current challenges of regulatory compliance and the importance of choosing the right packaging management system that understands the specific needs of each type of company. She explained that Envalora has more than 2,900 member companies and manages waste in 398 authorized centers.

Packaging Reuse Objectives
The round table discussion, "Legislative Aspects: Deposit Return Schemes and Reuse," moderated by Jaime Peñarrubia, associate lawyer at Ecija, included Laura Sanz, CEO of Implica; Joan Ros, CEO of Envalora; Quique Pla, Director of Management at the Punto Greta Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme and partner at ATQ Quimyser; and Esther Colino, Director of Business and Public Affairs at Procircular.

They all answered frequently asked questions related to legislative changes, deposit, refund, and return schemes, and reuse challenges. In this regard, they emphasized that it will still be many years before the majority of companies comply with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

They also detailed that the complexity will increase even further in Spain starting August 12, 2026, with the implementation of the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which brings many changes for the entire value chain and distinguishes between the roles of manufacturer and producer.

In another presentation, Esther Colino, Director of Business and Public Affairs at Procircular, presented a model that combines legal certainty with operational simplicity, advocating for a model based on rigor, close collaboration, and continuous support. Procircular has more than 4,300 member companies, with 54% operating nationally and 46% internationally. She also affirmed that their mission is to meet recycling targets on behalf of their member companies.

As highlighted in his presentation by Alberto Caldeiro, Operations Director at Ecolec, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes are proactive tools to help companies, with technical and operational management being a key element in guaranteeing regulatory compliance and packaging traceability. Ecolec emphasized the importance of having robust processes, reliable data, and efficient operations.