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Product Stewardship Updates
August 1, 2024
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COMPOSTABLE LABELING REQUIREMENTS
TAKE EFFECT IN COLORADO
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As of July 1, 2024, Colorado's Compostable Product Labeling Act, originally enacted in May of 2023, mandates all food service products and plastic packaging labeled as compostable to be certified by an independent third-party verification body that meets ASTM composting standards (such as the Biodegradable Products Institute or the Compost Manufacturing Alliance). Without proper certification, these products cannot legally include any indication of composability, including compostable labels on the product or packaging. Once certified, products are required to comply with labeling standards such as including a certification logo, displaying the word “compostable,” and, whenever possible, using green-colored labeling or recognizable green symbols. This truth-in-labeling law was prompted by the influx of mislabeled non-compostable products being sold and sent to composting facilities in Colorado.
Colorado’s packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) law, passed in 2022, covers compostable packaging and requires investments in compost facility infrastructure to improve services and reduce contamination. The new labeling law will also apply to compostable packaging and food service products covered under the state’s EPR law. Consistent with Colorado’s packaging EPR program, the compostable labeling requirements will help reduce consumer confusion and ensure proper end-of-life management of covered products and packaging.
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PSI PRESENTS TO MARYLAND
NEEDS ASSESSMENT ADIVSORY COUNCIL
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On July 26th, the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) hosted the second advisory council meeting for the state’s Packaging Needs Assessment. HDR, the lead consultant undertaking the Needs Assessment, unveiled initial insights into their needs assessment plan and approach. The Needs Assessment is due to be completed in December of 2025.
At MDE’s invitation, PSI's CEO and founder Scott Cassel provided a comprehensive overview of EPR in the U.S. and in Maryland. Scott offered U.S. packaging EPR lessons learned, provided a contextual overview of PSI’s role in developing Maryland’s initial packaging EPR bill, and highlighted key policy decisions that the advisory council should consider.
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FREE WEBINAR
August 7 | 12:00-1:30 ET
Packaging EPR in Minnesota: Unpacking the Process
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Join us for this free webinar as our expert speakers unpack the process that led Minnesota to become the fifth state in the country to enact EPR for packaging. This webinar will lay out the process PSI used to develop the initial bill and gain stakeholder input and support, followed by key players who contributed significantly to the final agreement. You will hear from the local government leader who guided the bill over its three-year development, a state agency official who provided important policy guidance, and other bill advocates. We will cover the law’s provisions, unique aspects, implementation timelines, and the collaborative leadership required to pass such significant legislation. There will be ample time for audience questions. | |
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WEBINAR SERIES:
Preparing Producers for Oregon Packaging EPR:
4-part Webinar Series
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In June, PSI launched a four-part series of educational webinars to inform producers about their upcoming obligations under Oregon’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging. PSI is coordinating the webinars on behalf of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and in partnership with Circular Action Alliance (the producer responsibility organization operating in Oregon). The first two webinars focused on the specific obligations of producers of food serviceware and printing and writing paper. The remaining two webinars will address consumer goods and B2B packaging (August 6) and e-commerce and online retail packaging (September 10).
The recordings of the first two webinars are available on PSI’s website, where registration is open for the remaining two webinars.
If you are a producer selling packaging into Oregon, don’t miss this opportunity to learn about your compliance obligations under Oregon’s EPR law and ways to stay abreast of regulatory developments.
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CANADIAN STEWARDSHIP CONFERENCE | |
Join Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of PSI, at the iconic Fairmont Royal York in Toronto on September 24 and 25, 2024 for the Canadian Stewardship Conference. For the past two decades, the Canadian Stewardship Conference has brought together industry leaders, government policymakers, business operators, and innovators from across Canada, the United States, and Europe to compare insights and intelligence on what we can expect from the next phase of EPR. Scott will facilitate the U.S. EPR updates session on the first day, continuing to foster cross-border EPR dialogue for joint learning and problem solving. A big turnout is expected at the conference, as EPR evolves from compliance to optimization. Learn more and register. | |
A MUST-READ FOR ALL EPR PROFESSIONALS! | |
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PERSPECTIVES ON PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP:
Navigating an extended producer
responsibility path to a circular economy
by Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder of PSI
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Learn about the emergence of the EPR movement in the U.S., Canada, and Europe; the basic elements of all effective EPR bills; how to build consensus with other stakeholders; and key definitions, terminology, and issues. Includes in-depth case studies on packaging, paint, and batteries. | |
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PaintCare Issues RFPs for Illinois PaintCare Program Services
Implementation of the PaintCare program is underway in Illinois. PaintCare, a PSI Partner, has issued an RFP for collection support and transportation and processing services for this program. Bids are due no later than 11:59pm ET, Friday August 16, 2024. Learn more.
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NAHMMA Hazardous Materials Management Conference
September 22-27 – Austin, TX: Hanz Atia, PSI Policy and Programs Associate, will present at two sessions at the NAHMMA Hazardous Materials Management Conference. If vape product waste management is on your short list, join Hanz and Shelly Fuller, Hazardous Materials Program Manager for Boulder County, for a presentation on the challenges and opportunities for vape management and updates on Boulder County’s pioneering collection pilots and policy development initiative. Hanz will also share her work leveraging GIS software to enhance hazardous materials management infrastructure and create compelling EPR advocacy materials. Register here.
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ONTARIO BATTERIES – Call2Recycle, a leader in battery recycling and waste diversion efforts in Canada, and EVSX, recycling subsidiary of St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp recently launched a state-of-the-art battery processing facility in Ontario. Read more.
U.S. TEXTILES – Debrand, a Canadian company focused on circularity solutions for the apparel and footwear industry, recently opened its first U.S. textile sorting facility in Columbus, Ohio. This new location aims to assist the U.S. textiles market with end-of-life logistics as EPR and other waste diversion initiatives continue to emerge. Read more.
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The Product Stewardship Institute is a policy expert and consulting nonprofit that pioneered product stewardship in the United States. Since 2000, PSI has helped enact 139 extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws across 19 product categories in 33 states — the bedrock on which the circular economy is built. We work with businesses, nonprofits, academia, and governments to ensure that products are responsibly managed from design to end of life. Join us at www.productstewardship.us. | |
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The Product Stewardship Institute, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and provider. Persons with disabilities who require alternatively formatted materials to ensure effective communication should contact Amanda Nicholson at info@productstewardship.us or 617.236.4855.
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