Lee Zeldin is President Trump’s nominee to lead the federal agency that is closest to the recycling industry. | Photo courtesy C-SPAN
During a three-hour confirmation hearing, President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. EPA administrator said he is still learning about chemical recycling, praised the marine debris-focused Save Our Seas Act as a model of bipartisan plastic pollution legislation and said PFAS regulation will be a “big issue” for him.
Tennessee State Sen. Heidi Campbell is re-introducing a packaging EPR bill crafted to gain Republican and business support. | RebeccaDLev/Shutterstock
Editor’s note: Learn more about policy trends and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.
A Tennessee lawmaker is reintroducing an extended producer responsibility bill for packaging – with some twists, in an attempt to get it through the Republican-controlled Legislature. Continue Reading
Under Maine’s EPR program, signed into law in 2021, producers directly reimburse municipalities for collection and recycling of materials. | Yurii Prohonnyi/Shutterstock
Maine approved rules for its extended producer responsibility law for packaging, three years after becoming the first state to pass packaging EPR. Continue Reading
The third iteration of Oregon’s program plan had more accurate cost estimates, after Circular Action Alliance carried out a costing survey over the summer. | Nadia Yong/Shutterstock
Oregon moved its rulemaking process ahead for its extended producer responsibility for packaging law set to roll out next summer, and Circular Action Alliance also released its third program plan draft. Continue Reading
California researchers found that mandates, production limits for virgin resin, $50 billion in plastic waste management investment and a fee or tax on plastic packaging could reduce mismanaged plastic by 91% globally. | Ulrich Mueller/Shutterstock
Using insights from an AI-generated tool, a team of University of California researchers estimated that implementing four policies globally could reduce mismanaged plastic by 91%. Continue Reading
Wine and distilled spirits in bottles, boxes, bladders, pouches or similar containers were added to the California redemption system in 2022, and the state is working through rulemaking and implementation. | Monticello/Shutterstock
Industry representatives shared concerns about PCR requirements, wine bottle labeling rules and how to handle plastic bladder bags inside beverage boxes during an Oct. 29 informal rulemaking workshop on California’s SB 1013. Continue Reading
The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery on Oct. 14 opened a 15-day written comment period on permanent regulations for the state’s EPR program. | Susanne Pommer/Shutterstock
Producers, recyclers and the public have another chance to comment on California’s SB 54 extended producer responsibility for packaging permanent regulations.
California lawmakers overhauled the state’s troubled carpet recycling program. | optimarc/Shutterstock
Carpet recovery and recycling in California will soon look a little different, after the signing of a new law that will change the recycling rate calculation and emphasize carpet-to-carpet content.
California’s extended producer responsibility for packaging law requires EPS food serviceware and packaging to demonstrate a recycling rate of no less than 25% by Jan. 1. | Justinboat.29/Shutterstock
Expanded polystyrene food serviceware producers have only a few months left to prove that the material has a recycling rate of at least 25% in California or face the prohibition of selling into the state.
The law covers a wide range of clothing but excludes carpet and mattresses, which are covered by other EPR programs in California. | Natali-Ximich/Shutterstock
California has become the first state to approve extended producer responsibility for textiles, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation enacting the program.