PPEC Delivers 2026 Outlook: EPR, PFAS, And Plastics Policy Across North America BY RACHEL KAGAN From the evolution of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for pack- aging, to plastics policy in flux, the pending CUSMA review, PFAS, and environmental claims, these are some of the environmental issues the Paper and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council (PPEC) will be watching in the year ahead. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) EPR – a policy approach where producers are financially and oper- ationally responsible for managing the recycling of their packaging – continues to evolve across Canada, while new EPR laws are being in- troduced across the United States. Together, these developments are increasing costs and complexity across the packaging value chain.
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In Canada, the most recent shift is in Ontario, where the Blue Box program transitioned from a municipally operated system with partial producer funding to a full producer responsibility model. As of January 1, 2026, obligated producers are 100% financially and operationally re- sponsible for residential packaging and paper recycling. EPR and recycling policies have always been important to PPEC and its members because the paper packaging industry relies on recycled content as its primary feedstock. Using and reusing recycled fibers is not just an input decision, it is a valuable resource that keeps materials in use and supports Canada’s recycling system. While that remains true, what has changed is the scale and impact of these policies. EPR is no longer just a cost or compliance consideration; it is reshaping packaging value chains and recycling systems across multiple jurisdictions. Looking ahead, EPR can be expected to remain a visible and widely discussed issue in 2026. As programs transition and expand, challeng- es, and learning curves are inevitable in a complex recycling system with multiple stakeholders and overlapping regulatory requirements. EPR is not a simple policy to explain or implement. As a result, media coverage and stakeholder communications will not always capture its full complex- ity, even as EPR reshapes recycling systems and influences packaging decisions across North America. Plastics Policy Canada’s plastics policy framework remains in flux. While the Sin- gle-Use Plastics Prohibition Regulations remain in force, the legal foun- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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January 26, 2026
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