PERSPECTIVES ON PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP:

Navigating an extended producer

responsibility path to a circular economy

by Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of PSI

If you are a PSI Member or Partner or are attending the PSI Forum, contact [email protected] for 30% discount.

Four years in the making, the book that PSI’s CEO and Founder, Scott Cassel, has written on EPR and product stewardship is now in print and available!

The book covers Scott’s personal journey in the recycling field from volunteer to government official and to the creation of PSI. It provides his perspective on why a change to the US recycling system was desperately needed and how PSI and numerous others translated policy concepts into EPR laws. It also contains the process that PSI uses to create effective EPR laws through collaborative stakeholder engagement. Scott discusses the first two decades of the EPR movement in the U.S., where we are now in the journey, and expected trends for the future. It outlines the basic principles of product stewardship and EPR, along with the roles played by each stakeholder group. And it traces the origin of the concept of responsibility, how it was incorporated into the environmental and EPR movements, and the reaction to it by corporations and others.

The book also covers the major EPR laws developed in Europe and Canada that have provided the foundation for EPR laws in the U.S. It references many of the 25 product categories on which PSI works, with three in-depth case studies—on paint, batteries, and packaging.  

The Oklahoma Meds & Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC) and PSI have recently updated the Oklahoma medical sharps guide, "Establishing Community Medical Sharps Programs: A Guide for Municipalities, Pharmacies, Health Clinics, and Nonprofits in Oklahoma.” This step-by-step guide contains information on the need for safe disposal options, the different types of programs available, criteria for designing a program, cost estimates, vendor information, and best practice recommendations. 

Each year the guide is updated with new information as the OMSDC continues to expand safe medical sharps (e.g., needles and syringes) disposal by establishing new take-back sites, supporting ongoing take-back programs, and conducting research and stakeholder engagement to divert medical sharps from household trash and the municipal solid waste stream. Download the guide from our Public Resources page. 

The OMSDC is a coalition focused on a statewide solution for the safe disposal of medical sharps and pharmaceuticals in Oklahoma, facilitated by the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) with grant support and collaboration from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. 

What a year for EPR in the United States! With years of dedicated and purposeful work, PSI and our members and partners made history with two first-in-the-nation EPR laws in Vermont and Connecticut. In June, Vermont enacted EPR for household hazardous waste, which PSI helped develop and refine with Vermont’s state and local government officials, including those on the Vermont Product Stewardship Council. Also this year, Connecticut enacted EPR for tires, a product long championed by PSI board members. PSI staff also facilitated a national multi-stakeholder tire stewardship dialogue for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) in 2015, laying the foundation for the new law, which was advocated for strongly by the CT Product Stewardship Council.

Over a decade ago, PSI mediated a model paint EPR bill that has been used as the basis for launching 11 PaintCare programs. A 12th program was added to this list when Illinois enacted its law to create a statewide paint recycling program in July.

In the Northwest, we saw continued EPR success. Washington State enacted an EPR law for batteries, which included best practice elements from PSI’s model and was spearheaded by PSI state and local members. Additionally, with PSI’s help, Oregon enacted an amendment to its electronics EPR (E-Cycles) program. With leadership from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, PSI facilitated a multi-stakeholder dialogue, engaging producers, collectors, processors, technical experts, and local and state government representatives to build a full consensus on a modernized bill. 

In an era dominated by ominous news of the impacts of climate change—most recently evidenced by devastating fires in Maui—and a legitimate plastic pollution crisis that appears to have no end, the Pack Green Coalition (PGC) is here to offer a bit of encouragement. Sustainable packaging innovation is on the rise and offers smart alternatives to single-use plastics that far too often clog our landfills and pervade our lands and waterways. In 2023, PGC has taken note of environmentally friendly packaging advancement across three major sectors: consumer packaged goods, produce, and beverages. In a recent blog, PGC highlights promising developments in each of these spaces. Read blog here.

In August, PSI's Lelande Rehard joined an expert panel at the Maryland Association of Counties Conference to examine the future of EPR in Maryland. Read more.  

Recycling Today cites PSI paint recycling information in an article covering PaintCare’s 10-year anniversary in California. Read more. 

Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of PSI, was recently interviewed about safe medication disposal and the need for legislation regarding this issue and the opioid epidemic. In the Daily Beast, author Josefin Dolsten takes her relatable personal story and turns it into a call for action and awareness. Read more.  

September 11-14, Portland, OR – The 2023 Product Stewardship Forum hosted by the Product Stewardship Institute. Register here.  

September 17-22, Tempe, AZ – North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA) National Conference. Register here. 

September 26, Boston, MA – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present on packaging EPR at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition ADVANCE conference. Register here.

September 29, Boston, MA – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present on packaging EPR at SWANA WASTECON. Register here.

October 10, Bend, OR – Suna Bayrakal, PSI’s Director of Policy and Programs, will co-present with Metro at the 2023 Association of Oregon Recyclers Sustainable Oregon Conference. Register here. 

October 10, Minneapolis, MN – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will speak at a workshop on packaging EPR at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Municipal Waste Management Association (MWMA) Fall Meeting. This event is a follow-up to a July 13 EPR webinar convened by MWMA. Register here. 

October 17, Boston, MA – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present on Packaging EPR Global Trends at PSX 2023. Register here.

In an interview with Resource Recycling, Ried Lifset, Research Scientist at the Yale University School of the Environment and EPR luminary, discussed his latest research on eco-modulation and how it can be best used for eco-design.

WasteDive recently wrote about the partnerships between cities and event venues that aim to increase use of reusable cups, including San Francisco, Denver, Seattle, and Atlanta.

Environment+Energy Leader covered the new partnership between Call2Recyle and Ascend Elements, a collaboration aimed at better managing electric vehicle batteries at end-of-use.

In a recent WasteDive article, Redwood Materials reportedly raised $1 billion dollars for projects aimed to help end-of-life battery collection and recycling.



WasteAdvantage highlights key takeaways from the recent IDTechEx’s report “Li-ion Battery Recycling 2023-2043.” 

Internship Opportunity with the Product Stewardship Institute

Marketing and Communications Intern: PSI is seeking an energetic and talented person with a passion for environmental protection to work with our marketing and communications manager, Julia Wagner. Join our team in beautiful downtown Boston. Remote work possible.

Washington DC’s Battery EPR Law Update

On August 4, the Department of Energy and Environment approved the plan on the collection and recycling of household batteries developed by Call2Recycle, DC’s battery stewardship organization. The plan which is required to be implemented by November 2nd.

Nova Scotia Waste Reduction Strategy

The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is seeking input on its Waste Reduction Strategy, with targets to reduce solid waste to 300 kilograms per person, per year, by 2030. The online public consultation process will end September 29. 

EU Battery Regulation

In August, the EU Regulation Concerning Batteries and Waste Batteries was entered into force. This regulation on management of waste batteries repeals the 2006 EU Batteries Directive.

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The Product Stewardship Institute is a policy advocate and consulting 501(c)(3) nonprofit that powers the emerging circular economy. We rely on the generosity of our members, partners, and supporters to convene diverse stakeholders to build extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies, programs, and laws. Thank you!

The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Persons with disabilities who require alternatively formatted materials to ensure effective communication should contact Amanda Nicholson at [email protected] or 617.236.4855.