The Recycling Partnership applauded the state of Minnesota for joining the ranks of states that have passed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.
“The Minnesota law will drive a more effective recycling system and provide critically needed recycled material feedstock to a hungry manufacturing sector in Minnesota and beyond,” said Kate Davenport, chief policy officer of The Recycling Partnership. “EPR laws like Minnesota’s will ensure that the paper products and packaging that is sold on store shelves in Minnesota will be responsibly managed and paid for by the producers that make them. According to The Recycling Partnership’s State of Residential Recycling report, EPR policies are one of our country’s most effective tools to address the gaps in the residential recycling system. EPR policies will incentivize companies to design and make their packaging recyclable and use the recycled content in new packaging. EPR requires manufacturers to take responsibility for what they produce – goods, paper, or packaging products – by paying small fees for the packaging and printed paper they produce.
“The passing of this legislation was the result of exemplary leadership of Rep. Sydney Jordan and Sen. Kelly Morrison – the lead sponsor of the legislation in both chambers – and months of hard work and negotiation by many key stakeholders,” says Dylan de Thomas, vice president of public policy and government affairs.
The Recycling Partnership advocates for comprehensive state and national Extended Producer Responsibility policies for all materials. According to The Recycling Partnership’s estimates, the five states that have adopted EPR are projected to recycle a combined additional 2.8 million tons of material annually that would otherwise be considered waste.
