New Strategic Framework for EPR Policy Introduced

As extended producer responsibility laws for packaging and packaged goods gain momentum across the United States, a new report from the EPR Leadership Forum offers a pragmatic roadmap for lawmakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders at a critical time for converters. After all, EPR policies directly impact package material selection, manufacturing, and recycling infrastructure, which are all areas where converters play vital roles.

Titled Unpacking Successful Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy for Packaging in the U.S., the report identifies interlocking strategies essential for designing effective and scalable EPR programs: Sequencing, Efficiency, and Harmonization.

Strategy 1: Sequencing

The report emphasizes the importance of sequenced rollout of EPR policy, which helps ensure each phase of policy development and implementation is supported by adequate resources and stakeholder input. This approach helps avoid costly missteps and ensures that producers, recyclers, and regulators are aligned from the start.

Strategy 2: Efficiency

Efficiency in program design is another cornerstone. The report highlights opportunities to streamline scope, set informed targets, and invest in infrastructure that complements existing systems. For packaging converters, this means anticipating shifts in material demand and aligning production capabilities with evolving recycling goals.

Strategy 3: Harmonization

With multiple states pursuing EPR legislation, harmonization across jurisdictions is key to reducing regulatory complexity. A consistent framework can benefit packaging manufacturers operating nationally and help converters maintain compliance without navigating a patchwork of state specific.

As converters become more involved 0151 and rightfully so — in the EPR legislation as label and package printers are more intimately familiar with the materials and processes used in packaging manufacturing, converters should also familiarize themselves with emerging best practices for the rollout of EPR legislation. The report draws lessons from early adopter states such as Oregon, Colorado, and California. The report also outlines tradeoffs in timelines, governance structures, and stakeholder roles with insights that includes interviews with professionals working at NGOs, recyclers, registered packaging manufacturers.

“It is critical that lawmakers and stakeholders be armed with facts and findings sourced from early implementers,” said Alchemy Graham, Policy Director for the EPR Leadership Forum. “We’ve done that research to determine a scalable framework that can serve as the foundation of a well-designed EPR program.”

Stephanie Potter, Director of Environmental Policy at PepsiCo, added, “We have learned that a well-organized rollout of EPR programs that are consistent and complementary to current infrastructure can better meet the needs and resource requirements of a state or community.”