MARCH 2, 2023
Testifying at the Tipping Point
It’s pretty clear that the United States has reached the tipping point on EPR: 2023 legislative sessions are underway with bills introduced throughout the country! Recently, we testified on EPR legislation in Connecticut (packaging), Hawaii (packaging), Maryland (paint and packaging), New York (packaging), Vermont (HHW), and Washington (appliances, batteries, and lighting), with more to come!

Daily, we monitor activity on bills requiring new EPR programs or amending existing EPR laws in the United States; this information is shared with Members and Partners through emailed Legislative Updates and is also available to them in our Legislation Library.
Missouri Meds Awareness Continues
Responsible medication disposal awareness continues to increase in Missouri, where a consumer-education campaign began its second year with a spring-cleaning theme. Distributed to pharmacies throughout the state, the goal is to connect residents with resources – including an interactive map – to facilitate convenient drop off for safe disposal. According to the EPA, flushed medications can create as much as 2,300 tons of hazardous waste annually, pollute drinking water, and harm aquatic species. Putting meds in the trash increases their risk of being abused: Medications are a top source of accidental poisoning for children.   

The project is part of a growing movement to develop perennial statewide take-back programs, partially in response to the opioid epidemic: Statistics show that seven out of 10 people who abuse prescription pharmaceuticals obtain them from friends or family – often from home medicine cabinets. PSI created the campaign with the Missouri Product Stewardship Council (MOPSC), a coalition of governments, businesses, and other stakeholders co-founded with PSI; we have been working for 15 years on pharmaceuticals take-back laws and policies, including developing model drug take-back legislation and leading the national effort to enact the Secure and Responsible Drug Disposal Act in 2010. Learn more.  
PSI Joins US EPA Trash Free Waters Discussion
Our CEO and Founder Scott Cassel recently joined two expert panelists for a webinar discussion of EPR that was hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Trash Free Waters program. The mission of the Trash Free Waters program is to protect human health, aquatic ecosystems, and the economy by partnering on collaborative solutions to reduce the volume of trash — especially plastic materials — polluting our rivers, lakes, estuaries, and oceans. Because of this, the focus of the discussion was packaging EPR. Read more on the blog. 
Packaging EPR Laws Analysis Wrap
We continue our analysis of the four EPR packaging laws in the United States in our multi-part blog series, with the eighth and final segment focused on key definitions and additional components, which refers to additional sections of the bill that do not fit into the other elements.

  • For analysis of covered materials and products, please read part one.
  • For a summary of covered materials, collection and convenience standards, please read part two.
  • Part three covers whether or not there are unique provisions and/or exemptions in the legislation related to the “producer” responsible for funding and managing the EPR program; it also lays out each state’s criteria for determining the governance roles: program operations, administration, multi-stakeholder input, oversight, and enforcement.
  • Part four focuses on funding inputs and allocations – how funding enters the EPR system and how EPR program funds are spent.
  • To learn about design for environment and performance standards, please read part five.
  • For information on outreach and education requirements, and equity and environmental justice, take a look at part six.
  • Part seven covers the implementation timeline.
Members and Partners receive regular legislative updates and can track EPR bills and laws in our Legislation Library.
JOIN US - TODAY!
In just a few hours, we'll host a free webinar presented by EXPRA, a PSI Partner, to discuss how global trends will affect implementation and management of packaging EPR laws in 2023. Register today!
PSI IN THE NEWS
In the latest issue of American Craft Spirits, the craft beverage industry weighed in on Colorado’s new packaging EPR law, and Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, shared his perspective: “These EPR laws are just saying if you’re costing more to society you’ll have to pay more into the system. So, it’s providing an incentive to do the right thing.”  

PSI’s collaborative work on pharmaceuticals in Missouri with Ozark Headwaters Recycling and Materials Management District was featured on It’s All Downtown, which also included the steps we developed to safer and more environmentally friendly disposal. 
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT: COVANTA
By adopting zero waste-to-landfill processes and policies in order to divert waste away from landfills, companies can do more to preserve the environment and bolster their bottom lines: They can reduce logistics expenses and landfill fees, improve environmental compliance and reap positive public relations benefits. Visit Covanta’s blog to learn the four steps that can help companies create an effective zero waste-to-landfill plan.  
INDUSTRY UPDATES
Congratulations to PSI partner Cruz Foam, which just announced a partnership with Atlantic Packaging! Cruz designed an "earth-digestible" foam from non-petrochemical, natural ingredients that doesn't require industrial composting to break down.

Last month, to commemorate Canada’s National Battery Day, Call2Recycle announced that the six provinces operating under a battery EPR law recycled a record-setting 4.4 million kilograms of batteries last year — and that battery EPR is being considered in three additional provinces.


Recycle Track Systems recently acquired Cycle Technology, which designed a Reverse Vending Machine technology and recycling rewards platform recently seen at the Super Bowl.

Graphic Packaging International’s planned $1 billion recycled fiber mill in Waco, TX will increase the annual production of to 4.4 million tons across six facilities, which recycle secondary fiber into coated recycled paperboard.
LOOKING AHEAD
SEE YOU THERE
March 10 Chicago, IL - Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will join a fireside chat on “Challenges and Frustrations with Implementing EPR” at the Smithers Sustainability in Packaging conference in Chicago. Register here.   

March 15 VIRTUAL – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will join Jennifer Navarra, Program Director at Zero Waste Hawai’i Island, and McKenna Morrigan, Policy Advisor at Seattle Public Utilities, to talk about catalyzing reuse in EPR and DRS legislation on a webinar hosted by Upstream. Register here.   

March 28 VIRTUAL - Dawn M. Timm, Director of Environment/Solid Waste for the Niagara County Department of Public Works and PSI Board Member, will join the Northeast Recycling Council for a seminar on the opportunities and impacts of carpet EPR. Register here.  

March 29 Tulsa, OK – Hanz Atia, PSI’s Associate, Policy & Programs, will present on PSI’s work to expand take-back infrastructure for medical sharps and pharmaceuticals in Oklahoma at the 2023 Oklahoma Indian Nations SWANA Conference. Register here.   

April 14 Virtual - Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present on emerging EPR in British Columbia at a Coast Waste Management Association (CWMA) virtual event. More information is coming soon!

April 12 Virtual – Lelande Rehard, PSI’s Senior Associate, Policy & Programs, will moderate the discussion on “Managing Leftover Paint in Missouri.” Learn more and register here.

April 26 Brussels – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present on a global EPR panel at the Extended Producer Responsibility Alliance (EXPRA) 10th Anniversary celebration in Brussels. More information is coming soon!

April 25 Prior Lake, MN - Will Grassle, PSI’s Associate, Policy & Programs, will present on Minnesota EPR at the RAM/SWANA Conference. Register here.

May 10 Kalamazoo, MI - Amanda Nicholson, PSI’s Chief Operating Officer, will present on opportunities and approaches for EPR across multiple product categories at the Michigan Recycling Coalition Annual Conference. Register here. 

May 22 Steamboat Springs, CO - Lelande Rehard, PSI’s Senior Associate, Policy & Programs, will present at the Recycle Colorado Summit for Recycling. More information is coming soon!  

May 22 Concord, NH – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will present a keynote at the Northeast Resource Recovery Association Conference. Register here.   

May 23 Bolton Landing, NY – Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, will join Dr. Amit Goyal of SUNY Buffalo’s NYS Center on Plastics Recycling and Innovation for "New Advances in Science Supports Better Recycling” moderated by Lauren Laibach of NAPCOR at the New York Federation Solid Waste and Recycling Conference and Trade Show. Register here.   
WHAT WE'RE READING
The Recycling Partnership’s recent report claims recycling rates for printed paper and packaging would jump to 50% if EPR was adopted in the U.S.

New analysis from consumer behavior on global packaging trends in 2023 points to EPR: “To get ahead and stay competitive, companies must get a firm grip on current and future legislation around plastics, PFAS, and EPR,” said Global Packaging Director David Luttenberger, “Consumers will rally behind legislation that benefits the environment…which will put significant cost pressures on manufacturers in their quest to meet mandates.”

Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announce new technology to make lithium-ion battery recycling less expensive – and less toxic.

Nonprofit advocacy groups are lobbying for global EPR systems that would hold brand accountable for the millions of tons of discarded clothing that are shipped to poor countries each year, what some organizations are calling “waste colonialism.”


Currently, for every ton of steel produced, a steelmaking plant releases two tons of CO2 — but a new closed loop carbon recycling system developed by University of Birmingham researchers could significantly reduce impacts.
 
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WEBINAR ARCHIVES
Scott Cassel, PSI’s CEO and Founder, moderated a conversation with a group of experts to discuss the wide range of technologies that fall under the chemical recycling umbrella. They considered criteria to determine which, if any, can support a sustainable economy, prevent waste and pollution, and curb greenhouse gas emissions. The webinar recording and "Making Sense of Chemical Recycling" report are available to our full community.
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, TTY: use 711 or 800-439-2730; MassRelay.