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Eureka Recycling, which operates a MRF in Minneapolis, supported the packaging EPR bill. | Courtesy of Eureka Recycling
After months of collaboration and negotiation, stakeholders in Minnesota walked away with an extended producer responsibility bill for packaging that had elements both familiar and unique, and an overarching question: Is this the first state in a new wave of EPR or a continuation of early adopters?
Senate Bill 1053 revises California’s bag ban to state that reusable bags provided at point of sale cannot be made from plastic film. | jon nightingale/Shutterstock
A bill that expands California’s bag ban to prohibit all plastic bags – even the reusable recycled-content bags that are a major driver of post-consumer film resin sales – is working its way through the California legislative system.
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The AMP ONE system, pictured here at a RDS facility in Virginia, sorts bagged material into mixed recyclables, organics and residue. | Courtesy of AMP
Recycling and Disposal Solutions of Virginia launched an AI-powered system from equipment supplier AMP that is sorting mixed recyclables and organic material from municipal solid waste at one of its facilities.
A May 28 webinar, “Coalition Building for Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging and Paper Products,” shared tips and tricks for passing EPR legislation with a strong group of supporters. | OnePhoto/Shutterstock
Getting extended producer responsibility legislation passed takes a strong coalition, targeted education and a lot of meetings, those involved with the process in several states said during a recent webinar.
Graphic by Eunomia Consulting
Across the United States, there is growing consideration among advocates and legislators regarding the role of policy in advancing recycling services to ensure equitable access and opportunity to residents while maximizing environmental and economic outcomes. This is exemplified through recent progress in extended producer responsibility policy for packaging. In 2024, nine states – from New York to Tennessee – have introduced legislation for packaging EPR, with the Minnesota governor recently signing an EPR bill, while the four states that have already passed EPR are rapidly moving through implementation phases.
Crossroads Paper is now planning a 30-month construction project for a mill near Winnemucca, Nevada. | Max Barnum/Shutterstock
The team behind a proposed Utah recycled paper mill has resurfaced with plans that move the site west, now aiming to build a mill in northern Nevada to process mixed paper and OCC into 350,000 tons per year of recycled containerboard. Continue Reading
Oregon residents generated about 6.1 million tons of material in 2022, with 3.7 million tons going to landfills and incinerators and 2.4 million tons recovered. | JPL Designs/Shutterstock
The amount of material Oregonians disposed of in 2022 dropped significantly from the year before, but that was largely due to fewer building-destroying wildfires, according to the latest state Material Recovery and Waste Generation Rates report. Continue Reading
In late May, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works committee held a hearing on improving reuse and recycling in the United States. | S-F/Shutterstock
Members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works committee asked questions about grants, private funding, support for rural communities and diverting food scraps during a May 22 hearing on local efforts to improve reuse and recycling.
A recent investment report gathered insights from WM, GFL and other haulers. | Create Jobs 51/Shutterstock
Regulations, customer demand and technology are driving corporate sustainability interest, which in turn will likely bring investment dollars into the sector, according to a recent investment report that interviewed major North American recycling firms. Continue Reading