Portland, Ore. — Plastics and its recycling challenges will be getting a lot of attention as states start the long process of implementing their new extended producer responsibility packaging laws.
That came through clearly at a recent conference of state environmental officials, where leaders from the four U.S. states that have passed legislation mandating EPR for packaging — California, Colorado, Maine and Oregon — outlined how they'll meet strict targets for plastics.
California may be the most ambitious. Its EPR law, passed in mid-2022, has a goal of reducing single-use plastics sold in the state by 25 percent by 2032, from a 2023 baseline.
"The big picture around passage of this legislation is an intention to decrease the amount of plastic overall being sold into the state, which is, I think, pretty groundbreaking source reduction," said Rachel Machi Wagoner, executive director of CalRecycle, the state agency charged with implementing the law, known as Senate Bill 54.
SB-54 requires that 65 percent of all single-use plastics sold into the state be recycled or composted by 2032.
And, unique among the four states, it will set up a fund to clean up legacy plastic pollution. Starting in 2027, companies will pay $5 billion over 10 years, with $1.5 billion of that from plastics materials makers.
Detailed rules now being written in all four states will spell out industry responsibilities.
Generally, they'll ask companies using and supplying packaging to pay more to build infrastructure, ensure viable end markets and take on a larger role managing recycling.
Wagoner and other state officials, industry representatives and environmental groups spoke at the 2023 U.S. Product Stewardship Forum, held Sept. 11-14 in Portland. It was organized by the Product Stewardship Institute.