Tag Archives: Policy Now

Stewardship exec: Key to EPR success is to watch, wait

Published: September 3, 2025
Updated: September 3, 2025
by Antoinette Smith

Reverse-vending-machine-aleks333-Shutterstock

Reverse vending machines are one component of some deposit return systems | Aleks333/Shutterstock

Takeaways in two minutes (or less)

Watch, wait and learn from the “starter seven”
Focus first on expanding bottle deposit systems
Highlight economic impact to gain bipartisan support
Kentucky, Tennessee, Carolinas primed for action
Learn from the Canadian experience

In an active year for legislation aimed at reducing plastic pollution and waste, recycling stakeholders have a bevy of lessons to draw from, even with bills that have come under attack or didn’t quite pass. Continue Reading

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged EPR/stewardship, legislation, Policy Now |

California advisory board examines barriers to EPR

Published: June 4, 2025
Updated: June 4, 2025
by Marissa Heffernan

The report touches on five main topics: recyclability of covered materials, compostability of covered materials, reuse and refill and other source reduction systems, cost coverage for local jurisdictions, and plastic leakage into the environment. | Ratchat/Shutterstock

Members of the California extended producer responsibility for packaging advisory board have identified dozens of barriers to implementation and offered up possible solutions in a recent report.

Posted in News | Tagged California, EPR/stewardship, local programs, Policy Now |

EPR for Maryland: How SB 901 became law

Published: May 7, 2025
Updated: May 7, 2025
by Marissa Heffernan

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.

Posted in News, Top stories | Tagged EPR/stewardship, industry groups, legislation, Policy Now |

Producers moving toward EPR readiness

Published: January 15, 2025
Updated: January 15, 2025
by Marissa Heffernan

Despite progress, producers are largely still not ready for approaching EPR requirements, industry players predict. | Josep Curto/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.

With about six months to go until the first extended producer responsibility program for packaging in the U.S. goes live, producers are still largely unprepared but moving in the right direction, those monitoring the transition said.

Posted in News | Tagged EPR/stewardship, industry groups, Policy Now |