To date, four states have passed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws related to Packaging. However, 2023 is a year when more states are expected to join the list. The legislative sessions’ specific starting dates vary from state to state; however, January is the month when almost all legislative sessions start.

According to Resource Recycling, 2023 looks like a year when Maine, for example, will announce their first PRO arrangement. Additionally, for Oregon and Maine, it will be the year when rules become clearer and set the building blocks to move forward with the EPR mandate.

At least 16 states introduced packaging EPR bills in 2022; however, only a few of these states might carry forward into law during the first months of 2023. New York and Washington are the two states receiving the most attention, with states such as Illinois and New Jersey possibly passing packaging EPR laws during the first half of 2023.  

Changing legislation represents an opportunity for the lubricant container industry to move forward under a unified approach and bring the change needed in the U.S. to recycle hard-to-degrade plastics such as lubricant containers. 

The NLCRC brings companies together to learn and help transition the lubricant container sector to the circular economy while reducing the impact of lubricant containers on the environment due to incorrect end-of-life disposal while simultaneously helping companies adapt to changing legislation context, which will have implications across the entire petroleum and related packaging industries.

From industries to households, everyone has an essential role in reducing the lubricant container waste problem in the U.S. The NLCRC members include Castrol, Valvoline, Pennzoil - Quaker State Company, Graham Packaging, Plastipak Packaging, Berry Global, the Petroleum Packaging Council, Chevron, Safety-Kleen, CKS Packaging, and Nexus Circular.

Learn how the NLCRC is addressing the waste problem by becoming a member. Connect with us through LinkedIn and Twitter. If you have any questions or inquiries, email us at hello@nationallcrc.com.