The resolutions call for extending producers’ responsibility for product waste beyond the sale to ensure products and packaging are properly reduced, reused and recycled.
They also want state legislators to pass legislation that shifts financial responsibility for recycling product waste to producers and consumers, rather than costs falling solely on local governments via taxpayers and garbage ratepayers.
In June, the US Conference of Mayors became the third major national association of local elected officials to adopt an organizational resolution supporting EPR. The National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties adopted resolutions in 2009.
EPR is a policy approach that makes product brand owners responsible for “cradle to cradle” design and recycling of their products and associated packaging. EPR policies are common in Europe, Canada, Japan and other countries for a wide variety of products. They are relatively new to the US but are rapidly gaining support. 22 states currently have EPR policies for electronic waste.
Local governments started organizing in California in 2006 by starting the California Product Stewardship Council to promote a policy shift away from disposal bans to EPR to manage hazardous product waste.
Product Policy Institute (PPI) helped CPSC form and develop the first local EPR resolution, which has been the model for subsequent resolutions across the country as well as that of the US Conference of Mayors. PPI also helped local governments start Product Stewardship Councils in California, Texas, New York, Vermont and Massachusetts.
Executive Director at the PPI Bill Sheehan said: “Extended Producer Responsibility puts the costs of managing manufactured solid waste where they belong – on producers and consumers, rather than on taxpayers or garbage ratepayers.”
Read more about e-waste in the August issue of The Recycler.