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Momentum behind extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging is growing in multiple states, per comments at this year’s virtual Northeast Recycling Coalition conference. Officials and EPR proponents from Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Rhode Island all spoke to increasing interest.
Several cited Maine’s bill (LD 2104), in limbo due to the pandemic, as a policy blueprint. Massachusetts and New York have considered bills recently, while Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) Environmental Analyst Tom Metzner said his state is busy seeking buy-in from municipalities.
Motivating factors include pandemic-induced budget cuts facing local governments, with state attention driving more business engagement. “The industry is coming around” on EPR, said Metzner, adding “I think the states are getting weary of this manufacturer position that ‘no it doesn’t really work,’ or ‘let’s keep talking.'”
