Bottle return at a reverse vending machine.

Veja/Shutterstock

Changes to Oregon’s container deposit program drew reader attention last month, as did coverage of end market demand concerns, a legislative effort to support a mixed-waste MRF, and extended producer responsibility analysis in the U.S. and Canada.

The list below shows our top stories published in June in terms of unique page views.

1 | Oregon bottle bill to allow ‘alternative’ return centers

Oregon state lawmakers recently approved a bill that allows the state to designate new redemption centers in Portland tailored toward canners — people who redeem containers on a daily or near-daily basis — and to allow retailers operating nearby to provide fewer redemption services.

2 | Q&A: Industry at the ‘ceiling’ of what voluntary action can do

In a wide-ranging interview, Keefe Harrison of The Recycling Partnership expressed concern over the state of recycled material end markets, brand owners rolling back recycled content targets, and the detrimental effects of “silver bullet” thinking when trying to improve the U.S. recycling system.

3 | Oregon bill could expedite a MRF’s troubled permit process

Officials in Lane County, Oregon, are pushing state lawmakers to support a new bill that would allow the construction of a controversial recycling and composting facility.

4 | EPR advocates savor the moment as concerns remain

Extended producer responsibility policies for all sorts of materials — packaging, paint, batteries, vapes — are riding a wave of momentum across the U.S. and are poised to continue expanding to more states, several industry leaders said at the 2025 Product Stewardship Forum outside of Chicago in June.

5 | Proposed EPR changes in Canada could inform US plans

Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, is looking to make adjustments to its signature law for extended producer responsibility in packaging, in response to producer feedback about costs and other program concerns.