Susan Cornish told the PPRC audience that packaging EPR aims to build circularity through producer fees, stronger data and shared standards as states move to align their rules. | Courtesy Recycling Today
At the Paper and Plastics Recycling Conference in Chicago, industry leaders said extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for packaging are changing how the US handles residential recycling, but warned that uneven state rules will slow the transition.
The RecycleOn Oregon center opened this month in Ashland, the first of 140 planned for the state, in line with the state’s EPR law mandates. | Courtesy RecycleOn
Hard-to-recycle materials may soon find a new use in Oregon thanks to a first-of-its-kind recycling center now open there.
The Poly Coated Paper Alliance unveiled a plan to expand coated paper recycling in the US by closing data gaps, growing markets, unifying design guidance and improving outreach. | PixelMe / Shutterstock
A coalition of paper and packaging leaders is launching a national effort to make poly coated paper products, such as cups and ice cream tubs, a routine part of curbside recycling.
At Washington’s Common Threads forum, Rachel Kibbe urged states to exempt secondhand purchases from sales tax to boost reuse and build recycling markets as EPR proposals advance. | Ernest-Rose/Shutterstock
Editors note: Join us at the 2026 Resource Recycling Conference where we’ll dive deeper into the topic of reuse.
At a recent Washington Department of Ecology webinar focused on how policy can shift fashion toward reuse, circular-economy advocate Rachel Kibbe argued that a targeted tax change could make secondhand purchases more affordable while helping states prepare for new recycling rules. Continue Reading
Although the study from MIT addressed broader climate-related goals, the results provided insight into what drives companies to pursue sustainability initiatives. | Tada Images/Shutterstock
Publicly articulating clear sustainability goals helps ensure company follow-through, according to an annual supply chain study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Continue Reading
The Lubricants Packaging Management Association became the first independent producer responsibility organization to gain approval in a state EPR program. | Air Images / Shutterstock
Although a designated producer responsibility organization (PRO) receives much of the attention for any state’s emerging extended producer responsibility (EPR) plan for packaging, independent PROs quietly address more specialized needs. Continue Reading
Based in Vermont, Casella Waste Systems said efficiency improvements, customer partnerships and investment in infrastructure remain central to reaching its 2030 targets | Nordroden / Shutterstock
Casella Waste Systems emphasized both progress and challenges in its 2025 sustainability report, pointing to growth in recycling and community engagement. Continue Reading
The draft regulations have seen several iterations, drawing criticism from industry stakeholders. | Rarrarorro/Shutterstock
California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has opened the public comment period for its latest draft of regulations for the state’s extended producer responsibility law for packaging, which have drawn criticism from industry stakeholders.
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Reverse vending machines are one component of some deposit return systems | Aleks333/Shutterstock
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
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors says the state’s newly active packaging EPR law is unfair and ineffective. | JPL Designs/Shutterstock
Editor’s Note: EPR compliance will be featured in sessions at the 2026 Resource Recycling Conference, Feb. 23-25 in San Diego, California. Continue Reading