June 2023

Programs & News

EPR Programs on Food Packaging: Balancing Source Reduction with Food Safety
All four EPR for packaging laws in the U.S. – Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California – encompass food packaging, but there is no widely accepted model that aligns the programs. Packaging producers must balance the need to assure the integrity and safety of packaging while meeting EPR goals of material reduction, reuse, and recycling. Read more.

What Materials will Make the Cut Under EPR?
The four states with EPR for packaging programs, Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California, are grappling with the challenge of defining what is considered recyclable. There has been significant debate around this process due to the fluid recyclable market conditions, urban-rural differences, etc. Oregon is currently leading in this effort. They are creating two separate lists: one for local governments and one for the producer responsibility organization (PRO). The local government list will define materials that communities are required to collect for recycling, and the PRO list will define other materials that the PRO must manage separately that are not appropriate to be commingled, such as film plastics. Read more.

Associate Member Pledge 

NWPSC Associate Member Pledge has been updated – Please Confirm the Pledge here.
Associate members are local, state, regional, and federal government agencies, and non-profit organizations that support the NWPSC mission and product stewardship principles. The Pledge signals your support for NWPSC’s mission and that you want to be in the inner circle of information regarding NWPSC’s work. If you haven’t signed the NWPSC Associate Member Pledge yet, please do so now.

Legislation 

Oregon

• Modernizing Oregon E-Cycles Program: HB 3220 would amend the Oregon E-Cycles EPR program to increase the scope of covered electronic products and shift DEQ's role from operations to oversight. These amendments are necessary to properly update the 2009 e-cycles program to increase administrative efficiencies while maintaining and ensuring the program’s success in the future. This bill has passed both chambers and was sent to the Governor on June 24th. 

Other States

• EPR for Packaging Bill Fails to Pass in New York :EPR for packaging in New York (S4246/A5322) failed to move forward despite last-minute efforts to address concerns from haulers, environmental advocates, and the plastics industry. The bill received opposition from both the plastics and paper industries, who argued that amendments were too rushed. Although packaging EPR failed to move forward this legislative session, it is likely to come up again. Read more.
• Connecticut Passes Tire EPR: Earlier this week, Connecticut became the first state to pass an EPR for Tires bill (HB 6468), with Governor Ned Lamont signing the bill into law on June 27th. This law mandates the tire manufacturers manage the entire recycling/retreading system for tires in Connecticut and is expected to decrease illegal dumping and increase the recycling and retreading of tires.   Read more. 

Events & Webinars

• NWPSC E-Cycle Washington Feedback Meeting Provide feedback on electronics recycling in Washington. July 20th, 12:00 – 1:00. No registration required, click the link to join! 
• Packaging EPR has Arrived in the U.S. – Now What? An Ameripen Webinar Series: July 12th ($75 for non-members) 
• Resource Recycling Conference: August 14 – 16 in Orlando, FL
• U.S. Product Stewardship Forum: September 11 – 14 in Portland, OR 
• Sustainable Oregon 2023: October 9-11 in Gleneden Beach, OR. The annual Association of Oregon Recyclers (AOR) conference is an opportunity for colleagues in the recycling, waste prevention and sustainable materials management industries to connect about ideas, learn what’s on the horizon, and be inspired. Call for session proposals due June 2, 2023.2023 
• Product Stewardship Society Annual Conference: October 17-19 in Boston, MA

Engage with the Northwest Product Stewardship Council
Add your voice and join the Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC) as an Associate, Steering, or Community member.
Follow the NWPSC on Twitter (@StewardshipNW) for product stewardship information from Washington, Oregon and elsewhere.

 

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The Northwest Product Stewardship Council (NWPSC) is a coalition of government agencies in Washington and Oregon working on solid waste, recycling, resource conservation, environmental protection, public health and other issues. Together with non-government agencies, businesses and individuals, we form a network that supports product stewardship and extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies and programs. For more information, contact info@productstewardship.net or visit us at www.ProductStewardship.net.

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