September 2023

NWPSC Annual Retreat 

Thank you to all those who attended the NWPSC Annual Retreat on September 11th. It was great to gather in person to discuss EPR in Oregon and Washington, along with brainstorming on Household Hazardous Waste EPR and hearing from Joachim Quoden, Managing Director at EXPRA, who presented on the state of EPR for packaging in Europe.  

 

U.S Product Stewardship Forum

The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) held the 2023 U.S. Product Stewardship Forum in Portland, Oregon, from September 11th to the 13th, where product stewardship leaders and advocates presented on and discussed EPR and product stewardship initiatives and laws worldwide. Leaders across Oregon and Washington presented on the status and success of their state's various programs and laws, including the Oregon Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act, Washington's battery EPR law, and Oregon's mattress EPR law.   

Megan Warfield of Washington’s Department of Ecology discusses Washington’s new Battery EPR law at the PSI forum.  

Programs & News

Oregon's Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act - Rulemaking: 

The first rulemaking session wrapped up for Oregon’s packaging EPR law, and many stakeholders centered their comments around what items will be included in the statewide recycling materials acceptance list – aimed at reducing confusion on what can and cannot be recycled in Oregon. Recycling and packaging groups requested that more items be added to the list, such as PET thermoforms, as meeting Oregon’s post-consumer recycled content law requirements will rely heavily on the increasing availability of PET Thermoform. Recycling and packaging groups also raised their concerns regarding “responsible end market” certification and collection targets for PE film, which they deem unrealistic with current collection methods (Read more). The next rulemaking meeting will take place on November 1st, 2023, and you can register via Zoom here: LINK. The second rulemaking process will address the following:

• Recycling processing facilities permitting ad certification standards  
• The contamination management fee and processor risk fee 
• Covered product exemptions 
• Standards for life cycle impact evaluation 

Oregon Mattress Stewardship Plan Guide Now Available  

The Plan Guide for the Mattress Stewardship Program is now available. This guide is intended to assist prospective stewardship organizations in understanding the form and manner for submitting a plan to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for the development and implementation of a mattress stewardship program pursuant to the Mattress Stewardship Act and related rules.  
Stewardship organizations must have a plan approved by DEQ in order to operate a mattress program in Oregon. Plans are due to DEQ on October 1, 2023. 
Learn more about the Mattress Stewardship Program by visiting DEQ’s website. 

Oregon E-Cycles Manufacturer Compliance List  

The Oregon E-Cycles Manufacturer Compliance List has been updated.  
Oregon’s covered electronic devices are: computers (including laptops and tablets), monitors, televisions (all sizes and age), printers (desktop, excludes 3-D printers) , and computer peripherals (defined in the law as keyboards and mice). Keyboard and mice manufacturers are not required to register. 

Retailers through all types of sales (in-store, catalog, phone and Internet) may only sell those brands on the Oregon compliance list in or into Oregon (excluding keyboards and mice). Sales restrictions apply only to devices that are covered under the law (excluding keyboards and mice), and not to other electronics or products made by the manufacturer. Oregon’s electronics recycling law is here: https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ecycles/Pages/Retailers.aspx  
Click here for the compliance list https://www.oregon.gov/deq/ecycles/Pages/Compliance.aspx  

EPW Subcommittee Hearing on Beverage Container Waste  

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chair of the EPW Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight, leads a hearing on exploring ways to improve the domestic collection of single-use beverage containers. EPW Subcommittee Hearing on Beverage Container Waste - YouTube  

Seeking Input on Washington State Electric Vehicle Battery Management Study 

The Washington State Department of Ecology is soliciting stakeholder input in the development of recommendations for the collection and management of Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries. Input must be submitted by January 31, 2024, to be included in the final legislative report. Survey link: https://qualtricsxmmnbfw26d2.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_djtC1QaRhSogl82 

Talking out tensions between EPR and plastics  

As part of the 2023 Resource Recycling Conference in Orlando, FL, panelists discussed how EPR for packaging can help fix a broken recycling system, achieve long sought after environmental outcomes, and how these systems can address labeling requirements and chemical recycling. https://resource-recycling.com/recycling/2023/08/31/talking-out-tensions-between-epr-and-plastics/ 

 

Events & Webinars 

• 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. The conference offers three Plenaries – 1). RMA Implementation Update; 2). EPR in Oregon: PRO’s Perspective; 3). Recycling Markets and Policy – and 14 concurrent sessions including 2023 legislative successes and future priorities, implementing mattress EPR in Oregon, and PaintCare: A Look at Reuse and Employee Perspectives.
• Product Stewardship Society Annual Conference: October 17-19 in Boston, MA
• WSAC County Leaders 2023 Conference: November 15 – Breakout session on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Solid Waste Technical and Listening Session.

 

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 X (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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