FMN | December 21st, 2020

FPA, PSI Agreement (Cont’d from Page 1)

that any extended producer responsibility legislation in the United States for packaging provided an on- ramp for the circularity of flexible packaging.” “Municipalities face skyrocketing recycling costs to manage an ever more complex packaging waste stream over which they have no control,” said Scott Cassel, PSI’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder. “With this agreement, FPA member companies and PSI mem- ber governments, companies, and organizations have started down a path together to provide desperately needed fiscal relief for municipalities while fixing and expanding our national reuse and recycling system.” Reaching An Agreement Participants reached an agreement on eight legisla- tive elements of the highest priority for FPA and its members, including the types of packaging to be in- cluded in legislation, entities from which packaging would be collected, and the definition of produc- ers, who are legally responsible. Agreement was also reached on funding for collection, transportation, and processing of packaging for reuse and recycling, pub- lic education, and government oversight. Participants agreed that funding should go toward system changes needed to recycle flexible packaging, as well as pay- ing for litter abatement and prevention programs, and not to manage garbage and disposal systems. How to set performance targets and recycling goals were also outlined, as were financial incentives for producers to make more sustainable packaging, including the use of recycled content. Prior to discussing legislative elements, PSI first helped participants reach an agreement on four foun- dational aspects, including the benefits of flexible packages, a multi-faceted problem statement, and de- tailed attributes of a sustainable system for managing flexible packaging. Dialogue participants included FPA member companies; PSI state and local govern- ment agencies from states that introduced or were developing EPR legislation; statewide environmental groups; and recyclers. The dialogue process included stakeholder interviews, web-based calls, and a two-day in-person meeting, and was designed to identify the most important priorities in managing flexible packag- ing waste, as well as unique challenges and opportuni- ties, from manufacturing and design to post-consumer collection, reuse, and recycling. PSI and FPA representatives have also met with indi- vidual local and state government officials developing EPR for PPP bills. PSI will continue to facilitate these FPA state-by-state conversations, using these elements as a reference and discussion tool.

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