What Should EPR for Packaging Look Like? Susan Hubbard, Principal, Nothing Left to Waste, CRADLE2 Steering Committee - Minneapolis, MN Eric Lombardi, Executive Director, Eco-Cycle - Boulder, CO Susan Collins, President, Container Recycling Institute - Culver City, CA Gary Liss, Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN) Board member, Chair of GRRN EPR Committee - Loomis, CA Usman Valiante, Partner, Corporate Policy Group, Ontario, Canada Matt Prindiville, Associate Director, Product Policy Institute - Rockland, ME

EPR for Packaging: 101 Background, Perspective, Insight Matt Prindiville March 7, 2013

Bright spots: Several US Cities > 70% diversion rate California: 65% diversion rate Container Deposit Laws = 80% avg. recycling rate

Problem: “Design for the Dump”

Problem: Packaging Waste * Source - US EPA Municipal Solid Waste: Facts and Figures

Packaging + Printed Paper * Source - US EPA Municipal Solid Waste: Facts and Figures

Problem: Low Recovery Rates * Source - US EPA Municipal Solid Waste: Facts and Figures

27 million tons = 178 lbs./person

640 million trees = 915,000 acres

Enough aluminum is discarded annually to produce 25,000 Airbus 320 planes

Costs to our Communities Avg. Tipping Fees = $50/ton Avg. Collection Costs = $85-$250/ton Landfilled or Incinerated: 165 million tons 1/3 packaging

Bottle Bills: the Original EPR Early 1900s: Started Voluntarily by Beverage Industry Refillable Glass Containers 1974: First Bottle Bill Passed in Oregon Today: Ten State laws Eight run by Beverage Companies = EPR 80% Average Recycling Rate

76 EPR Laws in 32 States

Industry: 60% of PET by 2018 Industry: 50% of PET, Glass and Aluminum by 2018 Company: 50% of PET, Glass and Aluminum by 2015 As You Sow: Shareholder Resolutions

“ We’ll support EPR for Packaging in exchange for your bottle bill.” 2010: False Choices…

16-Month Stakeholder Dialogue: Brands Domestic Manufacturers Government Officials Public Interest Groups Building Business Support Nestle Waters Developing Policy Rationale Supporting Legislation: RI, MN

EPR Ecosytem: Business Brands: Mostly Opposed or “On the Fence” Retailers: Keep Recycling out of our Stores Manufacturers: Desperate for Clean Material Haulers/Processors: Don’t Want to Lose Control

EPR Ecosystem: Government

EPR Ecosystem: Public Interest

Phase 1 (by 2015) Packaging Printed materials Mercury containing lamps Other mercury-containing products Electronics and electrical products Household hazardous and special wastes Automotive products Phase 2 (by 2017) Construction materials Demolition materials Furniture Textiles and carpet Appliances, including ozone-depleting substances (ODS) Canada EPR Action Plan

CHANGE Coalitions 24 EPR Laws Chem. Reform Multi-State Mercury Campaign Mercury Phase-out 13 EPR Laws

CRADLE2 = 57 orgs in 23 states

Get the Policy Right Organize in Battleground States Engage the American Public Packaging Strategy

1.Establish producer responsibility as the primary approach for managing each type of discarded packaging 2.Drive source reduction and phase out the use of non- reusable and non-recyclable packaging 3.Prohibit incineration of packaging materials 4.Set high environmental standards and let innovation happen 5.Set and enforce reuse and recycling targets by commodity type, not in aggregate. Packaging Platform

6.Require accountability and transparency, and ensure the public’s right to know 7.Provide convenient, no-charge options for consumers to reuse or recycle packaging 8.Include packaging from multi-family, public space, events, restaurants, and office and institutional settings, not just single-family households 9.Ensure clean streams of materials and require recovered packaging to be put to its highest and best use 10.Build on high performing reuse and recycling infrastructure, and grow American jobs and promote local economic development Packaging Platform

Matt Prindiville Associate Director