Maine lawmakers advanced an EPR bill to the governor. | Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
Legislation creating an extended producer responsibility program for packaging has cleared both the Maine House of Representatives and Senate. It’s the first such bill in the U.S. to make it that far in the legislative process, and it now goes to the state’s governor for a signature.
Oregon lawmakers in both legislative chambers approved an EPR proposal. | Borka Kiss / Shutterstock
This story has been updated following a House of Representatives vote on June 25.
The Oregon House of Representatives approved a bill establishing extended producer responsibility for packaging and overhauling the state’s recycling system Friday afternoon. The bill cleared the Senate earlier this week, and it now goes to the state’s governor for a signature.
A substantial EPR bill is moving forward in the Oregon legislature. | Grindstone Media Group / Shutterstock
Bills establishing extended producer responsibility for packaging materials were introduced in a handful of states this year. Several have failed to gain traction, but at least two key proposals remain active.
An expanded list of beverages will be covered in Connecticut’s bottle-deposit program under a new piece of legislation on the governor’s desk. | alexs333 / Shutterstock
Northeast states advanced extended producer responsibility and bottle deposit legislation, but California legislators failed to pass a ban on e-commerce plastic packaging.
The Circular Plastics Fund will target both post-consumer and post-industrial PE and PP in the U.S. and Canada. | Gajus / Shutterstock
Dow, LyondellBasell and Nova Chemicals will invest at least $25 million in plastics recycling infrastructure, with a longer-term goal of growing the initiative to $100 million. Continue Reading
More products could be added into the recycled plastic mandate in the future. | Lisa von Biela / Shutterstock
Washington state has enacted a law requiring post-consumer recycled plastic be included in beverage containers, trash bags and some household products.
Lawmakers in Maine are considering two bills that each establish extended producer responsibility programs covering packaging of all material types, but with key differences in program management. | Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock
Two state proposals under consideration in the Northeast get at a central question of extended producer responsibility programs for packaging: Should the government or private industry have more control?
Researchers estimate over 74 billion PET bottles were landfilled, burned or littered in the U.S. in 2019. | Teerasak Ladnongkhun / Shutterstock
This story has been updated and corrected.
A new report estimates that a nationwide bottle deposit program would reduce the number of drink containers each American wastes to 67 per year, down from 426 under the status quo.
At the recent ISRI2021 online conference, an EPA official touched on environmental justice issues that affect waste and recycling facilities. | Surapol USanakul / Shutterstock
The U.S. EPA’s top environmental justice official has a message for recycling operators: Don’t wait for a conflict to arise to start engaging with the community that surrounds you.
Leaders outlined the challenges and opportunities of recycled content mandates at a recent conference. | zombiemaster/Shutterstock
Policymakers and brand owners have recently emphasized boosting recycled content in plastic packaging to try to enhance recycling. At a conference this week, speakers outlined some of the challenges in this realm.