Changes in the regulation of the utilization of goods and packaging
As of January 1, 2024, a number of amendments to Federal Law No. 89-FZ dated 24.06.1998 "On Production and Consumption Waste" came into force. In particular, the concepts of "utilization of waste from the use of goods" and "environmental levy" were introduced, as well as the procedure for calculating the environmental levy in relation to packaging for the reporting periods 2024-2026.
As a general rule, producers and importers of goods shall ensure the utilization of waste from the use of goods in accordance with the utilization standards established by the Government of the Russian Federation. The same body establishes the list of goods and packaging, the waste from the use of which is subject to utilization.
A manufacturer of goods that packages the goods produced by it, including by heating, pulling, dividing into parts of the packaging, is not obliged to ensure the utilization of waste from the use of the said packaging, unless the said packaging is produced by this manufacturer of goods.
At the same time, until January 1, 2027, producers of goods, importers of goods shall ensure the disposal of waste from the use of packaging:
during 2024 – according to utilization standards established by the Russian Government;
during 2025 – in respect of 55% of the mass of packaging produced in Russia and (or) imported from states that are not members of the Eurasian Economic Union or member states of the EAEU;
during 2026 – in respect of 75% of the mass of packaging produced in Russia and (or) imported from states that are not members of the Eurasian Economic Union or member states of the Eurasian Economic Union.
On December 29, 2023, the Russian Government approved these lists and regulations by Decree No. 2414:
list of goods, packaging, waste from the use of which is subject to utilization, for 2024;
list of goods, packaging, waste from the use of which is subject to recycling for the period from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2030;
standards for the utilization of waste from the use of goods for the years 2024-2029;
standards for the utilization of packaging waste for 2024.