So far, 20 states have passed laws in the past few years to regulate chemical recycling as manufacturing. | JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock
In a letter to the EPA, 35 members of Congress urged the federal department to continue to regulate chemical recycling as combustion, not manufacturing, under the Clean Air Act.
Legislators from around the U.S. grappled with bottle bills this year. | Namitha Hebbar/Shutterstock
Bottle bills were popular this legislative session, with updates and expansions passed or considered in several states.
A policy expert offers best practices for designing EPR for packaging. | Marina Onokhina/Shutterstock
New legislation evokes varied reactions among industry and activists. | Michael Warwick/Shutterstock
Industry leaders mostly expressed support for California’s recently signed extended producer responsibility bill, though some said they still had concerns about its far reach. Continue Reading
Legislators have approved EPR for printed paper and packaging in California. | Kit Leong/Shutterstock
This story has been updated.
California’s printed paper and packaging extended producer responsibility bill passed the state Senate unanimously June 30 and was signed into law, just before the deadline to pull a plastic-tax measure from November’s state ballot.
California legislators, environmentalists and industry groups are working on a plastics pollution and recycling bill that they hope will persuade ballot measure backers to withdraw their initiative before the deadline at the end of this month. | rarrarorro/Shutterstock
Canada will no longer allow the manufacture of stir sticks as of December 2022, part of a wider plastics prohibition. | Wan Fahmy Redzuan/Shutterstock
Canada has banned a wide range of single-use plastics, effective by the end of the year for most items, and is looking to implement new labeling laws as well.
Changes to Iowa’s bottle redemption program are awaiting the Governor’s signature. | Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock
Iowa lawmakers have approved container deposit legislation that triples the bottle handling fee but allows grocery stores and other retail entities to opt out of the collection system, a fact that could significantly reduce redemption access.
A bill passed in New York establishes goals for carpet recycling and post-consumer content, requires the creation of a collection network and more. | Steven Belanger/Shutterstock
New York is close to becoming the second state to require producers to fund carpet collection and recycling. Meanwhile, California regulators approved carpet fees that vary based on recycled content.
Speaking during the “Tensions in Recyclability Labeling” session at the Plastics Recycling Conference were (from left to right) Erik Grabowsky of Arlington County, Va., Steve Alexander of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Heidi Sanborn of the National Stewardship Action Council and Karen Hagerman of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. | Brian Adams Photography/Resource Recycling, Inc.
Consumers are confused and frustrated by recycling label systems in the U.S., and it will take a group effort to fix the problem, panelists told Plastics Recycling Conference attendees.