The Minister of the Environment Mr Villu Reiljan issued a directive to accredit the first packaging recovery organisation – Non-Profit Association Estonian Recovery Organisation (MTÜ Eesti Taaskasutusorganisatsioon). The aim of the recovery organisation is to arrange the national collection of packaging waste from members or contractual partners of the organisation and organise the recovery of the collected packaging waste. Non-Profit Association Estonian Recovery Organisation (ERO) was founded by 12 packaging companies – producers of beverages and commercial enterprises who, in their estimation, cover approximately 10 per cent of the Estonian packaging market. By now, 7 more companies have joined the ERO. Thus, the number of members is 19. The recovery organisation is useful both for manufacturers and distributors of packaged goods. Manufacturers and distributors can trust the recovery of their packaging to the new organisation and shops do not have to collect the packaging of these companies. The packaging of member companies will be marked correspondingly. Pursuant to law, the ERO as a recovery organisation has to ensure the collection of the fees of packaging companies that have joined the organisation or have delegated their obligations by a contract on equal bases according to the quantity of their packaged goods and packaging waste resulting from packaged goods imported and sold by them. Services related to packaging and handling of packaging have to be bought on a competitive basis. Packaging companies that have not yet joined the newly accredited ERO or are not planning to establish a similar organisation will have to arrange the collection of their packaging and packaging waste on their own. In order to obtain accreditation, a recovery organisation has to meet a number of requirements arising from the Packaging Act. The objective of the organisation has to be the arrangement of the collection and recovery of packaging and packaging waste. Founders of the organisation must have agreements with participants in the economic activity (contracts with collectors, transport and treatment companies) to prove that the organisation is capable of fulfilling the aforesaid objective nationwide. In addition, the organisation has to have a marking on packaging handled by this organisation. The 12 founding members of the Estonian Recovery Organisation include companies such as Põltsamaa Felix AS, Unilever Eesti OÜ, Tallinna Piimatööstuse AS, Onistar AS, Liviko AS, Liiwi Heliis AS, Kaupmees & Ko AS, Valio Eesti AS, Procter & Gamble Eastern Europe, Raisio Eesti AS. All current ERO members are listed below. Further information: Elo Kalmet
ERO members (as at 27 October 2004) 1. Procter & Gamble 2. Põltsamaa Felix AS 3. Tallinna Piimatööstuse AS 4. Valio Eesti AS 5. Unilever Eesti OÜ 6. Liviko AS 7. Onistar AS 8. Greiner Packaging Estonia AS 9. Liiwi Heliis AS 10. Kaupmees & Ko AS 11. Raisio Eesti AS 12. Paulig Baltic AS 13. Bang & Bonsomer Eesti AS 14. Ofelia AS 15. Eskaro AS 16. Vivacolor AS 17. Kesko Food AS 18. Tetra Pak Latvia 19. Elopak OY Estonian Branch |
