About producer responsibility
In a producer responsibility system, companies are responsible for collecting and recycling the products they put on the market based on a 'polluter pays principle'. This creates a financial incentive for companies to take greater responsibility for the environmental consequences that the consumption and handling of their products - and packaging - cause.
There are six different producer responsibilities in the EU that the respective member states are obliged to implement - and a new one on textiles has just been approved with the aim of entering into force in 2027.
The polluter pays principle
Producer Responsibility on Packaging
Producer responsibility on packaging enters into force on October 1, 2025. This means that the thousands of companies that put packaging on the Danish market will be responsible for the packaging throughout its entire lifecycle - even after the packaging is empty and sorted as waste by the end user.
Purpose
The overall purposes of introducing producer responsibility for packaging are to reduce the amount of packaging, ensure efficient collection and handling of packaging waste, and motivate companies to better and more environmentally friendly design of packaging - both for prevention, reuse, and recycling.
In popular terms, it is often referred to as closing the loop.
The EU has established quantitative targets for the recycling and recovery of packaging waste for 7 types of materials, as outlined in the table below. The recycling targets are intended to promote the transition to a more circular economy and ensure that companies with producer responsibility contribute to Denmark meeting the established EU requirements.
See if you are covered by the producer responsibility for packaging
Economic consequences
The total cost is estimated in Denmark to be around DKK 2.35 billion, which will shift from citizens' waste fees for the collection and handling of household waste to being financed by businesses.
Businesses will not be responsible for costs related to waste that does not constitute packaging. Municipalities will therefore continue to charge a citizen-paid waste fee for the collection and handling of household waste that does not constitute packaging.
Eco-modulation
Businesses will pay the costs of collecting, transporting, and waste treatment of the packaging they market, minus income from the sale of recycled raw materials.
One of the fundamental elements of producer responsibility is that packaging reduction and environmentally friendly design must be financially beneficial for businesses. This means that businesses should pay less for packaging that can be reused or recycled. This is practically achieved by eco-modulating the costs that businesses have to cover.
Producer Responsibility for Single-Use Plastic Products
Companies that place single-use plastic products on the market have producer responsibility for single-use plastic products and are thus responsible for financing the clean-up of waste from these - including the municipal and state collection of the waste in public collection systems.
See if you are covered by the producer responsibility for single-use plastic products
Read more about the registration obligation
Purpose
The purpose of the producer responsibility for single-use plastic products is to reduce the amount of single-use plastic that is discarded in nature. Single-use plastic products are wholly or partially made of plastic and are only intended to be used once - meaning that they cannot be returned or reused for the same purpose.
VANA helps you manage your producer responsibility
VANA handles the producer responsibilities for packaging and single-use plastic products, as well as for electronics and batteries in collaboration with RECIPO, which is a leader in their field in the Nordics.
At VANA, we are also working to take on the other producer responsibilities as well as the upcoming producer responsibility for textiles for our members - either directly or through cooperation agreements with other leading producer responsibility organisations (PRO).
Producer Responsibility for Electronics and Batteries
The producer responsibility for electronics and batteries places responsibility on manufacturers and importers for their electrical products from design and production through to collection and environmental treatment when products are no longer usable.
VANA can manage the producer responsibility for electronics and batteries on behalf of our member companies based on a comprehensive agreement with RECIPO, the leading producer responsibility organisation (PRO) in the Nordic region.
Read more about the partnership with Recipo
Producer Responsibility for Textiles
The EU has adopted an agreement on amendments to the Waste Framework Directive, which introduces producer responsibility for textiles.
This means that manufacturers and brands selling textiles in the EU must bear the costs associated with the collection, sorting, and recycling of textile waste from their products. As a rule, this applies to all companies that produce, import, or distribute textile, textile-related, or footwear products - with the exception of social enterprises that provide already used products deemed suitable for reuse.
The agreement is expected to be published in November 2025, after which EU member states will have 20 months to update their national legislation and 30 months to implement a producer responsibility system.
Producer Responsibility for Other Products
Find more information about producer responsibility for cars at Dansk Producentansvar.