Following a years-long collaborative process supported by AMERIPEN and their partners across the packaging value chain, the association commended Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s signing of SB 901 into law. Maryland is now the sixth U.S. state to adopt a Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law. This legislation sets the stage for modernized recovery and recycling systems that will support Maryland’s circular economy and environmental stewardship.
AMERIPEN played a central role in the development of SB 901, providing expert guidance over several years of policy discussions, supporting the groundwork laid by SB 222 in 2023, and helping to align the bill with key advancements found in Minnesota’s 2024 EPR law. The result is a collaborative, data-informed approach that will deliver meaningful environmental outcomes while remaining efficient and achievable.
The new law is the culmination of extensive stakeholder engagement in collaboration with Senator Malcolm Augustine and a bipartisan group of policymakers. SB 901 incorporates consistent, modern EPR principles including shared funding responsibilities, aligned key definitions, and a producer-led Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO).
“Efficient and economically viable recycling and recovery systems are critical to achieve less waste in landfills, lower costs for taxpayers, more sustainable products, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and cleaner communities,” said Maryland Senator Malcolm Augustine, who introduced and helped shepherd SB 901 into law. “This new system aligns incentives for all stakeholders to create an economically efficient, environmentally responsible, circular system of managing packaging and paper materials. All Maryland residents deserve a modern and comprehensive recycling system, and this legislation ensures we can deliver on our state’s commitment to conservation and environmental stewardship.”
Packaging plays a vital role in protecting products and minimizing waste, and Maryland’s new law recognizes that its recovery is a shared responsibility.
Published June 2025