Marissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. After developing a special focus on recycling policy, they are also the editor of the monthly newsletter Policy Now. Heffernan can be contacted at [email protected].
Producer responsibility organization Circular Materials is launching the first phase of packaging extended producer responsibility in Alberta, Canada, on April 1. | Sherif Ashraf 22/Shutterstock
Another Canadian province is rolling out its extended producer responsibility program for packaging and paper products. Continue Reading
The rulemaking for extended producer responsibility law SB 54 was set back earlier in the month when Gov. Gavin Newsom sent the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery back to the drawing board. | Susanne Pommer/Shutterstock
A late March advisory board meeting brought dozens of public comments but little additional detail on a new timeline for California’s extended producer responsibility rulemaking. Continue Reading
Circular Action Alliance plans to open a centralized contamination audit center in Oregon, where lawmakers approved EPR for packaging in 2021. | Nadia Yong/Shutterstock
Extended producer responsibility programs for packaging are largely moving forward, with some innovations in Oregon, representatives from Circular Action Alliance said at a quarterly update. Continue Reading
There are three extended producer responsibility for packaging bills active in Washington right now, and many more for EPR covering other materials. | Zack Frank/Shutterstock
Washington state has a handful of extended producer responsibility bills on the move, covering packaging, beverage containers, organics and more. Continue Reading
A needs assessment found that a well-designed EPR program could increase Maryland’s recycling rate for paper and packaging products from 34% to 50%. | Mihai Andritoiu/Shutterstock
Advisory groups in Maryland have shared a needs assessment and a packaging extended producer responsibility recommendation with the state legislature, finding that EPR for paper and plastic packaging could increase collection from 984,400 tons to 1.5 million tons. Continue Reading
Having left South Korea without a treaty, delegates from around the world will reconvene in Switzerland in August to keep working to address global plastic pollution. | Nexus 7/Shutterstock
Several months after wrapping what was intended to be the final negotiations on a global plastic pollution management treaty, the United Nations Environment Programme has announced the dates for extended talks. Continue Reading
An anonymous complaint asked California’s Fair Political Practices Commission to investigate Rachel Wagoner for a violation of a ban that prevents former regulators from receiving compensation to work against the state on matters that were under their purview. | Zlikovec/Shutterstock
A formal ethics complaint has been lodged against Rachel Wagoner, formerly the director of the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery who is now with producer responsibility organization Circular Action Alliance. The complaint alleges that she is lobbying her former agency in violation of a state “switching sides” ban. Continue Reading
By statute, the full permanent rulemaking package needed to be submitted to the Office of Administrative Law by March 7, but it wasn’t. | Jonathan Lenz/Shutterstock
California state regulators will head back to the drawing board after the governor declined to accept their draft extended producer responsibility program language, delaying the implementation of EPR for packaging and requiring another round of rulemaking. Continue Reading
Haulers reported a year of numerous mergers and acquisitions, and higher commodity values. | Sepp Photography/Shutterstock
Buoyed by rising commodity prices, the five largest publicly traded recycling companies posted overall revenue increases in 2024. Continue Reading
HB 3433 would add glass wine bottles to Oregon’s container deposit program, but the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative does not want to take on the additional material stream. | Fotosr52/Shutterstock
The question of how glass wine containers should be managed in Oregon – under the state deposit return system or under extended producer responsibility – remains active, though wine bottles seem destined for EPR for now.