Driving Progress in Packaging Recycling: NLCRC's 2024 Milestones and a Look Ahead to 2025
The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition (NLCRC) had an eventful 2024, beginning with a refreshed focus on our strategic priorities. These shaped the conformation of three workstreams: EPR Support, Packaging Design, and Advocacy working groups. These groups support the core three-year objectives of the NLCRC. Additionally, the NLCRC welcomed the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association and Lucas Oil as new members.
The U.S. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) landscape continued to evolve this year, and at the end of 2024, five states have passed packaging EPR laws (California, Colorado, Maine, and Oregon), and Vermont has an EPR law for household hazardous waste (HHW). During 2024, the NLCRC enabled the formation of the Lubricant Packaging Management Association (LPMA). The LPMA is a national non-profit EPR compliance agency that provides EPR compliance options for its members and supports the development of circular material management solutions for their petroleum-based and related products and packaging. The NLCRC and the LPMA are separate entities that collaborate to ensure EPR compliance optimization and enhance the performance of collection and recycling initiatives.
The NLCRC members met in person twice in 2024, and a special thank you goes out to Valvoline (Spring) and RPM eco (Fall) for hosting our meetings. There is always great value in opportunities to collaborate face-to-face. During our fall meeting in Montreal, we had the opportunity to participate in a field trip to see Canada’s EPR system in action. This trip provided insights into lubricant container recycling processes, displaying Canada's EPR system from post-consumer collection to recycling into new materials. This offered valuable lessons for U.S.-based members preparing for the first EPR reporting deadline in 2025.
As we look ahead to 2025, the NLCRC will continue to monitor new legislation and prepare for changes to existing packaging laws and any policymaking. In the meantime, a reminder that Producer EPR reporting requirements will begin in Oregon in March 2025, and in California and Colorado in August 2025, so Brand Owners and the value chain need to prepare for compliance.
The achievements of NLCRC are possible by the collaborative efforts of our members. We extend our gratitude to our members for their valuable contributions in 2024 and to all stakeholders in the transportation and industrial applications industry, as well as those involved in packaging recycling activities, who have helped shape our strategic priorities for 2025. We invite you to continue following our work in 2025 and join us in these efforts.
The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition or “NLCRC” is an industry-led coalition funded by a committed consortium of value chain stakeholders focused on establishing solutions for the recovery and recycling of packaging for petroleum-based and related products utilized in the transportation and industrial applications Industry.
Members include Berry Global, Castrol (part of bp Group), Chevron, CKS Packaging Inc., ExxonMobil, Graham Packaging, Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, Lucas Oil, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Plastipak Packaging, RPM eco, Safety-Kleen, and Valvoline. For more information, visithttps://www.nationallcrc.com
