PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation)

Last updated: 4 April 2026

PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation) is a body that manages EPR compliance on behalf of producers, collecting fees and organising e-waste collection and recycling.

Last reviewed by Marcus Williams on 23 March 2026

A PRO, or Producer Responsibility Organisation, manages Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) compliance on behalf of producers, collecting fees and organising e-waste collection and recycling.

In more detail, PROs help manufacturers meet legal requirements by handling the logistics of disposing of electronics responsibly. They manage the entire process from start to finish, making it easier for companies to adhere to regulations without having to build their own complex systems for waste management. These organisations collect fees from producers based on the amount and type of products they sell or manufacture, then use those funds to cover the costs associated with collecting and recycling electronic waste.

According to the UNEP, A single tonne of circuit boards contains 40-800 times more gold than a tonne of ore.

A real-world example of a PRO is TCO Development in Sweden, which works closely with tech companies like Dell and HP to ensure that their end-of-life electronics are recycled responsibly. By partnering with such organisations, businesses can comply with regulations while focusing on product development and sales.

For consumers and businesses alike, knowing about PROs is important because these bodies make it possible for everyone involved in the lifecycle of electronic products-from manufacturers through to users-to contribute positively to environmental sustainability efforts. If you're a consumer, this means less e-waste ending up in landfills; if you run a business that produces electronics, it can save time and hassle by outsourcing waste management responsibilities.

Other related concepts include EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) policies, which are the legal frameworks supporting the work of PROs. Additionally, terms like "certified recyclers" or "e-waste collection points" often come into play as part of how these organisations operate to manage and dispose of waste effectively.

According to the UN Global E-Waste Monitor 2024, The world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, up 82% from 2010.

According to a 2019 report by the European Union's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive), PROs helped recover over 7.8 million tons of e-waste across Europe that year, demonstrating their significant impact on reducing environmental harm from electronic waste.[1]

[1] European Commission. "European Environment Agency WEEE Statistics." Accessed March 2023:

Sources