Oregon: An Example of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Policy In The Making

Since mid-2022, Maine, Oregon, Colorado, and California have passed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws related to packaging. 

These four states have already started to define the rules for stakeholders and set the first tasks to implement the EPR mandate. 

Oregon was the second state that passed its EPR law for packaging (Senate Bill 582) in the 2021 legislative session. The program is called Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act and became effective in early 2022. This program will be a system-wide update to the state’s current recycling system that will expand access to recycling services and upgrade the facilities that sort recyclables. Additionally, it is believed that this will help build and implement local community programs and leverage the resources of producers to create an innovative system that is of use to everyone. Oregon’s EPR law will require producers of packaging, paper products, and food service ware to share the responsibility to effectively manage products after use. The recycling program changes will start in July 2025. 

The start-up phase, consisting of planning, research, rulemaking, and engagement with stakeholders, started in 2022 and is expected to end by Q3 2024. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is continuing to work on the rule-making process, which will define the Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) requirements, the local government compensation, material lists, and fees. 

Producers will be required to join and pay a membership fee to a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that will fund improvements and ensure that collected recyclables go to responsible end markets. PROs will provide services for certain hard-to-recycle materials while most of the collection will continue to be supervised by local governments.

Monitoring the current EPR legislation is a focus point for the NLCRC in 2023. Emerging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging represents an opportunity for collaboration to help recycle petroleum packaging and reduce the amount that ends up in landfills.  

The National Lubricant Container Recycling Coalition or “NLCRC” is an industry-led technical coalition established by a committed group of industry leaders in lubricant and associated plastic packaging manufacturing, focused on establishing solutions for post-consumer recovery and recycling of plastic lubricant containers.

NLCRC members include Berry Global, Castrol, Chevron, CKS Packaging Inc., Graham Packaging, Nexus Circular, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Petroleum Packaging Council, Plastipak Packaging,  Safety-Kleen, and Valvoline.

Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Reach out with questions or inquiries, at hello@nationallcrc.com.