Plastic pollution is a global challenge. It requires international measures like a global agreement to end plastic pollution. Negotiations on such an agreement started in 2022. As important as international measures are, managing plastic pollution also requires ambitious measures atthe national level. Many countries have already developed, adopted and implemented policies targeting plastic pollution, including most Small Island Developing States (SIDS). One of the most ambitious and promising policies to reduce plastic pollution are Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. They put into practice the prominent, yet often neglected ‘polluter pays’ principle. They have the potential to promote the transition towards a more circular plastics economy that many experts see as indispensable to effectively respond to the plastic pollution crisis. So far, EPR schemes have been implemented mainly in developed countries, with developing countries increasingly introducing EPR schemes as well. In SIDS they have not been adopted yet. This study explores the potential of EPR schemes to reduce plastic pollution in SIDS. To this end, it briefly summarises sources, impacts and governance of plastic pollution in SIDS in order to identify the key needs in this group of countries (chapter 1). It then introduces the main aspects and overall potential of EPR schemes to reduce plastic pollution and promote the transition to a more circular plastics economy (chapter 2). The main part of the analysis outlines core elements and complementary measures of EPR schemes and, where possible and necessary, derives implications for an appropriate design of EPR schemes in SIDS (chapter 3). Against the background of the preceding analysis, the key challenges of SIDS in developing and effectively implementing EPR schemes are identified (chapter 4) before a roadmap for the preparation and development of EPR schemes is introduced (chapter 5). Finally, the key findings, conclusions and recommendations are summarised.