Extended Producer Responsibility In 2025: Progress, With More To Come

"With Maryland and Washington joining the ranks, seven U.S. states now require companies that manufacture, distribute, or sell packaged products to bear financial and operational responsibility for the end-of-life management of that packaging. The expansion represents a fundamental restructuring of who pays for recycling infrastructure, shifting costs from municipalities and taxpayers to producers of packaging materials that have often gone unrecycled."

"EPR laws require companies that manufacture, import, or brand packaged products to fund the collection, sorting, and recycling of those materials after consumers discard them. Peoducers pay into nonprofit Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) that in turn reimburse local governments and invest in recycling infrastructure improvements. The policy creates financial incentives for producers to reduce packaging volume, increase use of recycled content, and design easy-to-recycle or compostable products."

"Maryland's SB 901, which became law in May, is unique because it allows multiple PROs to operate programs while incentivizing the use of recyclable, reusable, or compostable packaging. Washington's EPR program, also signed into law in May, will require capturing consumer packaging while expanding collection services to reach hundreds of thousands of homes not currently served by curbside recycling. The Evergreen State's compliance deadlines for producers to participate are in 2028."

Two additional states, Maryland and Washington, enacted Extended Producer Responsibility laws in 2025, bringing the total to seven U.S. states requiring producer-funded packaging end-of-life management. The laws shift financial and operational responsibility from municipalities and taxpayers to product manufacturers, distributors, and brands. Producers pay into nonprofit Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) that reimburse local governments and invest in recycling infrastructure. The policy structure incentivizes reduced packaging, greater recycled content, and design for recyclability or compostability. Maryland allows multiple PROs and promotes reusable or compostable packaging, while Washington expands collection services with producer compliance deadlines in 2028; Hawaii initiated an EPR needs assessment.

Read at Earth911