WHAT IS EXTENDED PRODUCT RESPONSIBILITY? (EPR)

And Why Does It Matter?

Why do we pay for product packaging, pay to get rid of it, and then if/when it winds up in our environment, pay with our tax dollars to clean it up?

What does EPR mean?

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an environmental policy approach in which a producer’s responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life cycle.

Why Does Extended Producer Responsibility Matter?

Our recycling systems are being overwhelmed by wasteful packaging and plastic pollution that can’t be recycled. It’s causing serious problems.

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Maine passed the nation’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging law in 2021! Currently, Oregon, Colorado, and California have joined the party, and many more states are considering similar policies.

Where Have EPR Laws Been Enacted?

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The EPR law is working to reduce packaging waste and increase the recyclability of products. That means the same laws could also be applied here successfully in the US.

How Have EPR Laws Affected Europe?

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The Natural Resources  Council of Maine, has created a bunch of resources including a toolkit to help other states advance this effective solution for addressing wasteful packaging and plastic pollution!

How Can I Help Enact EPR Laws In My State?

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