State legislators are already hard at work crafting and introducing numerous recycling-related policies in 2023, which some advocates say are critical to accomplishing looming recycling and diversion goals. Extended producer responsibility programs for packaging and other materials are once again a top priority for many states, and each year itContinue Reading
Producers of single-use plastic packaging and plastic single-use foodservice ware who do business in California must join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) by Jan. 1, 2024 to continue selling, importing, or distributing these materials in that state. The Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54) creates theContinue Reading
Legislators recently spoke about their challenges and successes with EPR legislation. | Banlai/Shutterstock Four state-level elected officials who have worked on extended producer responsibility bills for packaging recently discussed how they became champions of recycling policy and offered tips to help advance legislation. The Product Stewardship Institute’s July 26 webinar,Continue Reading
On June 30, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 54 (S.B. 54) or the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (the Act) into law. The Act establishes an aggressive extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for single-use plastic packaging and plastic single-use food service ware by requiringContinue Reading
A policy expert offers best practices for designing EPR for packaging. | Marina Onokhina/Shutterstock There seems to be disagreement in the industry – and confusion for the public – on whether or not recycling is “broken.” But regardless of the word we use to describe it, most recycling professionals wouldContinue Reading
Supporters of SB 54, a bill to create an extended producer responsibility program in California for plastic as well as printed paper and packaging, are racing the clock to pass the bill. Their goal: to convince the backers of a competing ballot measure to withdraw their proposal by a June 29 deadline. ThoseContinue Reading
Colorado is the third state in the U.S. to pass a packaging extended producer responsibility bill, and the first in the 2022 legislative session. | Arturs Budkevics/Shutterstock While many industry leaders praised the recent passage of a Colorado bill establishing extended producer responsibility for printed paper and packaging, others areContinue Reading
The introduction of the EPR bill came after lawmakers stripped a prior EPR program out of Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive budget proposal. | Paul Brady Photography/Shutterstock An extended producer responsibility bill that has the support of environmental activists was recently introduced in New York, while a Colorado EPR bill movedContinue Reading
Colorado’s Capitol building in Denver. | Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock Colorado and Hawaii are both working to pass extended producer responsibility bills this legislative session that are tailored to fit each state’s needs. A bill intended to match Colorado’s values Colarado’s House Bill 22-1355 passed out of the House Energy and EnvironmentContinue Reading
Significant changes are bound to happen to the way manufacturers of products with plastic packaging do business once legislators give final approval to the bills institutionalizing the country’s policy and practice of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Mandates for cutting plastic waste footprint will be clear and measurable. Producers will haveContinue Reading
