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EPR Shifts Recycling Responsibility to Corporations

Writer's picture: Sameer VagalSameer Vagal

Updated: Nov 6, 2023

Legislation for Extended Producer Responsibility gains Traction with the "Break Free from Pollution" Act



Nearly 90% of plastic collected from local residents for recycling ends up in landfills or incinerators, with just a fraction of the 35 million tons produced annually being effectively recycled.


An important endorsement for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) came from a joint memo by the American Beverage Association and the World Wildlife Fund in June 2021. Legislation regarding EPR is currently under discussion in various states, with the "Break Free from Pollution Act" proposed by two senators, aiming to require beverage container manufacturers to increase post-consumer recycled content to specific targets by 2040.


This legislation also places restrictions on single-use plastics, curtails the expansion of plastic production facilities, and limits waste exports. Companies that fail to address the plastic waste issue risk not only billions spent on plastic material and resin manufacturing but also their brand value and customer base.



June 9, 2021


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