‘Break Up With Single-Use Bags’ campaign rolls out at over 1,000 Southern California stores ahead of the state’s 2026 plastic bag ban, aiming to shift habits early. | Photo Courtesy of Closed Loop Partners
A coalition of major retailers and local stores has launched a campaign across more than 1,000 Southern California locations this week to help customers kick the habit of using disposable shopping bags. Continue Reading
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa takes notes during a July 16 U.S. House hearing discussing improvements to the recycling industry. | Photo courtesy U.S. House of Representatives
Two new policy proposals seeking to improve components of the U.S. recycling system came up during a Congressional hearing last week, and industry stakeholders offered their thoughts on how the federal government can best support the recycling sector. Continue Reading
CalRecycle held a public workshop on California’s textiles EPR law to outline the future of its implementation and allow businesses and industry groups to comment on the effects of the law. | Vejo/Shutterstock
Business owners, potential producer responsibility organizations and industry experts gathered virtually and in person last week to ask California regulators questions about the state’s recently passed textile EPR law and give input on its implementation. Continue Reading
Resin imports are creating a challenging market for California reclaimers. | Saravutpics/Shutterstock
Amid a spike in post-consumer resin imports that reclaimers say is damaging the U.S. plastics recycling system, and allegations that some of that imported resin may not truly be recycled, a bill advancing in California would require beverage container manufacturers to report the country of origin for all PCR incorporated in their products. Continue Reading
Extended producer responsibility for packaging bill S 1464 passed out of the Senate on May 28 with a vote of 33-25, but did not get a vote in the Assembly. | Real Window Creative/Shutterstock
The 2025 legislative session in New York ended, and legislators’ hopes to pass extended producer responsibility for packaging this year did as well. Continue Reading
On opposite sides of the country, Maine and California are both adjusting their bottle bills. | Billion Photos/Shutterstock
California is finalizing the implementation of changes to its deposit return system for beverage containers, while Maine legislators sent a bill to the governor that would delay previous passed changes. Continue Reading
The majority of UN member countries used the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, to bring awareness to the approaching treaty negotiations. | Mario De Moya F/Shutterstock
More than 90 countries called for a renewed focus on a global plastics treaty during a recent United Nations Ocean Conference, as the clock runs down toward the next round of treaty negotiations. Continue Reading
Using data including state litter studies, the bill moved farther along than previous efforts, lending optimism to its potential to pass in 2027. | Andrew Yahin/Shutterstock
A bipartisan bill in Texas to introduce a bottle deposit return system ran out of time for a state House vote, but supporters see cause for optimism after a strong showing during the recently concluded biennial legislative session.
The final bill builds on previous legislation, resulting in an EPR program that will take shape in 2028. | Evan Lorne/Shutterstock
After five years of work and many interim steps, Maryland became the sixth U.S. state to pass extended producer responsibility legislation for paper and packaging, continuing the policy’s evolution in the country.
The legislation is intended to increase access to recycling, as only 58% of jurisdictions in the state provide access to curbside recycling. | Jeffrey-B.-Banke/Shutterstock
Just a week after Maryland became state No. 6 to approve a bill on extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper, Washington made No. 7.