Over the past decade, duty of care in sustainability has transitioned from a voluntary initiative to a central pillar of national industrial policy, with hundreds of countries adopting schemes and policies tailored to their most urgent environmental challenges.
Manufacturers of electrical and electronics devices now face a wide range of horizontal and product‑specific legislation that must be considered across the entire supply chain, from materials and components to packaging and distribution. The increased focus on environmental compliance is not occurring in isolation but is closely tied to broader political strategies and long-term plans, including resource security, industrial competitiveness, and climate commitments.
Governments worldwide are increasingly adopting Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, RoHS regulations, eco‑design frameworks, and circular economy policies to address the environmental impact of waste, in particular plastics and electronic waste, and move towards measurable and criteria‑based outcomes.
Today, more than 70 countries have implemented EPR frameworks, reflecting a global move towards lifecycle accountability for products. Modern frameworks combine EPR obligations, eco‑design requirements and material restrictions – and regulation in this arena is moving at an increasing pace to meet ambitious environmental national objectives, and the wider goal for climate neutrality by 2050.
To review the type of movement we are seeing beyond Europe, Horizon has chosen 6 key EU regulatory areas and investigated the current position of Japan, South Korea, South Africa, Brazil, and Chile – all of which show strong examples of the implementation of sustainability regulations. Our aim is to draw on comparisons, regulatory trends, and pinpoint where global regulators are likely to pay attention next.
Selected EU Policy Areas:
Packaging & Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
Sustainability, recyclability, labelling, and waste reduction requirements for all packaging placed on the EU market
Entered into force in 2025, effective from August 2026.
Aims to make all packaging on the EU market recyclable by 2030.
Supports the goal for climate neutrality by 2050.
Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR)
Supported by the digital passport - to promote sustainable products and requiring compliance with environmental, durability, and circular economy standards
Entered into force in 2024
Designed to inter-operate with sector-specific laws
Very few exemptions
Right to Repair Directive
Promoting products that last longer, and for the repair of products to be made available in good time, and at a fair price.
Entered into force in 2024, effective from July 2026.
Linked to other regulations, such as ESPR.
Initially aimed at consumer product categories.
Batteries Regulation
Setting harmonised rules for the entire lifecycle of batteries, with the aim to reduce environmental impact and promote circular economy practises.
Entered into force in 2023.
Applicable to all battery types placed on the EU market.
Mandating user-replaceable batteries by 2027 in consumer electronics.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive
Waste collection and recycling obligations for businesses that place EEE on the EU market
Introduced in 2007.
Applicable to most household and consumer electrical and electronic devices.
Promotes the efficient use of resources and recovery of secondary raw materials.
Restriction on Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive
Limiting the use of certain hazardous materials in Electrical and Electronic products
Entered into force in 2003.
Undergone several updates, RoHS 3 currently effective from 2019.
Compliance required in order to apply CE Mark to products.
EU vs Global Snapshot – Implementation Overview:
EU Law/Regulation | Japan | South Korea | South Africa | Brazil | Chile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PPWR | Containers & Packaging Recycling Law (1997) | Act on the Promotion of Saving and Recycling of Resources (2009) | National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA) (2008) | National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) (2010) | Ley REP (Law 20.920) & Supreme Decree 12 (2016 & 2023) |
ESPR | Act on the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources (1991) | Law No. 19128 (K-eco Act) (2021) | No Equivalent | No Equivalent | No direct equivalent |
R2R Directive | No Equivalent | No direct equivalent | No Equivalent | No Current Equivalent - TBC | No direct equivalent |
Batteries Regulation | Small Home Appliance Recycling Act (2013) | No direct equivalent | National Environmental Management: Waste Act (NEMWA) (2008) | Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1,560 (2026) | Ley REP (Law 20.920) (2016) |
WEEE Directive | Act on the Promotion of Recycling of Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (2013) | Act on Resource Circulation of Electrical and Electronic Equipment and Vehicles (EEEV) (2017) | No Equivalent | National Solid Waste Policy (PNRS) (2010) | Ley REP (Law 20.920) (2016) |
RoHS Directive | J-MOSS (2006) | K-RoHS (2008) | No Equivalent | No Current Equivalent - TBC | No equivalent |
Country Level Overviews:
Japan
Japan is one of the earliest adopters of a comprehensive sustainability regulation, combining strict recycling laws with proactive eco‑design policy. The Home Appliance Recycling Law (2001) mandates take‑back and high recovery rates for specific home appliances, while the Top Runner Programme (1998) drives manufacturers to continuously improve product efficiency.
Japan’s national laws align with the country’s scarcity of natural resources, pushing a resource-efficiency agenda that reduces dependence on imports, and promotes circular economy, and as such has introduced multiple initiatives to address these areas.
South Korea
South Korean regulations sit closest to those established by the EU and both countries maintain a close partnership in the pathway to achieving a sustainable circular economy - welcoming cooperation with the EU around their initiatives on sustainable product design and digital innovation, including the Digital Product Passport (DPP).
The country’s EPR scheme is well established and successful, requiring manufacturers to meet stringent recycling, EPR financing and reporting obligations. Their approach ties sustainability to technological leadership, and there is an increasing push to position eco‑innovation as a competitive advantage.
South Africa
South Africa represents a developing but rapidly formalising market, where sustainability schemes are evolving alongside broader environmental governance. Initiatives such as national e‑waste associations and emerging EPR frameworks are establishing a structured system for electronics recycling.
For product manufacturers, there will be further focus on EPR registration and reporting, and improved durability and repairability of products.
Brazil
While still immature in specific legislations, Brazil’s National Solid Waste Policy is a comprehensive national policy that forms the backbone and framework around the country’s rapidly emerging initiative such as EPR systems, circular economy transitions and alignment with global sustainability norms.
This framework is part of a broader political push toward sustainable urban development, reduction of landfill dependency and strengthened CSR. For electronics companies this translates to take‑back schemes, increased focus on recyclable materials and end-of-life responsibilities.
Chile
Chile is emerging as a forerunner in Latin America with its Framework Law on Waste Management (REP Law), which introduces structured EPR requirements for priority products, including electronics. This aligns with Chile’s national sustainability agenda, which emphasises circular economy development, alignment with international environmental standards, and a regulated recycling market.
Summary:
Across all five countries, several clear patterns are emerging:
The expansion of sustainability schemes is accelerating, with growing attention on consumer repair rights and supply‑chain accountability.
LATAM is rapidly developing policy frameworks to close the gap with APAC and the EU.
Public support for repairability is strong, yet Right to Repair adoption remains slow.
On this last point, the EU’s current Right to Repair Directive remains narrow, with broader requirements expected only as complementary sustainability regulations, such as eco‑design, mature. Meaningful policy cannot land in isolation. These gaps must be bridged, and a stable, accessible, and commercially viable repair ecosystem - from spare‑parts supply to technician capability - must be in place before ambitious regulation can take hold.
For now, sustainability needs to be treated as a core design input, shaping decisions on materials, components, architecture, and supply chain from the very beginning.