AF&PA: Extended Producer Responsibility Explained
duced and passed. Is Paper and Paper Packaging (Like Cardboard) Re- cycled? Yes! Paper is one of the most widely recycled ma- terials in the U.S. Paper recycling rates have continuously increased over recent decades and remain consistently high. In fact, the paper recycling rate has met or exceeded 63 percent each year since 2009. Recycled paper is used to make cardboard boxes, box- es for food and medicine, tissue products like toilet paper and paper towels, as well as newspapers. What role does the paper industry play in extended producer responsibility? The paper industry believes in producer responsibility. We have been working to improve paper recycling for decades. And paper recycling is a suc- cess story. Our industry voluntarily set a goal to help improve pa- per recycling back in the 1990s. The recycling rate has doubled since that time. Now, we’re working to use even more recycled paper in manufacturing. We’ve set a goal to increase the use of secondary materials like recycled paper in new paper products to 50 percent by 2030. This goal is part of our Better Practices, Better Planet 2030: Sustainable Products for a Sustainable Future initia- tive. We also have an ownership stake in the recycling sys- tem. Our members own more than 100 materials recovery facilities. That’s where your recyclables like cardboard and mail are sorted and processed. Our commitment doesn’t stop there. The paper indus- try is investing $5 billion in manufacturing infrastructure by 2025 to continue the best use of recycled paper in our products. Can Extended Producer Responsibility Improve Pa- per Recycling? EPR programs can be an effective way to improve recycling for materials with low recycling rates. But paper is already a highly and widely recycled material. EPR programs could disrupt the successful paper re- cycling process in place. 94 percent of Americans have access to a community recycling program for paper prod- ucts. According to the EPA, more paper by weight is recov- ered from municipal solid waste streams for recycling than plastic, glass, steel, and aluminum combined. Robust and resilient end markets already exist for recy- cled paper. Meaning, when we recover used paper, we’re turning it into new products like boxes and tissue. Paper recycling should be used as a roadmap for improving re- cycling rates without impeding our success. Why is Paper Recycling Successful? Paper recycling works because: • Our systems are voluntary and market-driven • Paper recycling programs are well-developed and widely available • Millions of people recycle paper every day • Ongoing recycling education is key to increases in the quantity and quality of paper in the recycling stream • We continuously invest in recycling technology and in- frastructure
Extended Producer Responsibility is a waste management strategy that is getting a lot of attention. But it’s not a new concept. In fact, it’s a policy approach that’s been imple- mented in the U.S. for decades. What is Extended Producer Responsibility? Extend- ed Producer Responsibility, or EPR, is the concept where brand owners, producers and material manufacturers pay for the end-of-life costs to recycle or dispose of products they put on the market. Types of EPR are in place in countries around the world, including in Europe and Canada. It’s also in place in the U.S. too.
Fees for producers vary based on the EPR program. Generally, fees help cover: • Material collection • Waste disposal
• Technology upgrades • Educational materials • Program administration • Development of recycling end-markets
Has Extended Producer Responsibility Been Imple- mented Before in the US? Yes, EPR programs are already in place in the U.S. In many instances, the EPR program is for hard to recycle materials like batteries, paint, electron- ics and mattresses. Canada and Europe also have similar EPR policies for these types of products as well. EPR programs can be effective when: • Products are difficult to process • Products have low recycling rates • Healthy end markets do not exist • However, these issues don’t apply to paper and pa- per-based packaging in the U.S. Why is Extended Producer Responsibility Getting a Lot of Attention in the US? EPR is gaining attention in the U.S., mostly at the state level. State EPR legislation varies, but bills are focused on improving the recycling rates of materials commonly found in curbside recycling bins, par- ticularly packaging. Federal legislation also aimed at improving national re- cycling rates and recycling infrastructure has been intro-
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April 24, 2023
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