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SB 1013 brought more container types into the California Redemption Value system but also removed an option for retailers to choose to pay a $100 daily fee instead of accepting returned containers. | Andrii Koval/Shutterstock
Formal rulemaking for changes to California’s deposit system is about to begin, and draft rules shed more light on new requirements for beverage dealers and retailers. Continue Reading
A strong coalition of stakeholders is vital for successful EPR legislation. | OlegKovalevichh/Shutterstock
Policy Now readers are, no doubt, familiar with the growing wave of interest in extended producer responsibility (EPR). A decade ago, it was remarkable to see even one or two states introduce EPR policies in the same legislative cycle. Already this year, some form of EPR for packaging and paper products was introduced in nine states. At the same time, EPR legislation is being considered and enacted in some more established product categories, like electronics, paint and mattresses, as well as in some new areas like batteries (EV and small and medium format), household hazardous waste, vehicle tires, pharmaceuticals, solar panels, wind turbines and marine flares.
An aluminum sheet producer that uses recycled beverage cans is among the recipients of a recent round of federal funding. | Pim Pic/Shutterstock
Multiple glass recycling operations, a massive chemical recycling facility and a project to increase consumption of mixed grade recycled aluminum are among the materials recovery efforts to receive recent funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. Continue Reading
The Senate Committee of Environment & Public Works recently held a hearing on extended producer responsibility for consumer packaging, while Alpek Polyester and BlueTriton Brands also joined a lobbying effort to advocate for a national bottle bill. | j.chizhe/Shutterstock
Several different policy strategies to increase recycling have been getting federal attention as of late, including extended producer responsibility and container deposits. Continue Reading
On March 12, the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment recommended a medium-level recycling scenario to the Joint Budget Committee. | RozenskiP/Shutterstock
Colorado state regulators suggested choosing a mid-level recycling scenario for its extended producer responsibility program for packaging, but a final decision is yet to come. Continue Reading
Overall, e-scrap, scrap metal, C&D debris, rubber and organics recycling facilities reported 373 fires, down 4% year over year. | Piotr Zajda/Shutterstock
An annual report from recycling industry fire protection firm Fire Rover found that publicly reported MRF and transfer station fires in the U.S. and Canada dropped by 9% in 2023 compared to the prior year. Continue Reading
China’s withdrawal from the fiber export market and a rise in e-commerce created an opportunity for domestic mills to consume more recycled fiber. | BAO Images Bildagentur/Shutterstock
All but two of 25 confirmed recycled paper mill projects announced over the past five years are completed, and new capacity activity has slowed considerably, according to a recent review led by the Northeast Recycling Council. Continue Reading
Nine states are looking to enact extended producer responsibility packaging, and Hawai’i chose to put a “pre-EPR” bill into play. | Paul-Brady-Photography/Shutterstock
Extended producer responsibility for paper and packaging is once again a hot topic in statehouses across the country.