When this organization was founded by Scott Cassel in 2000, producer responsibility was in place in Europe and Canada, but had barely made a mark in the United States. Now, U.S. EPR is snowballing. As the 2023 legislative sessions begin, we would like to reflect on the accomplishments of those across the country who have, together with PSI, moved EPR forward in 2022 and increased the momentum for additional producer responsibility legislation in 2023 and beyond.
In 2022, 65 EPR bills were active across 20 states and Washington, D.C. These bills covered 14 product areas and included 58 bills to establish new programs as well as seven bills to amend existing programs. These bills included EPR programs for emerging product areas such as smoke detectors, solar panels, and wind turbine blades.
Most significantly, a total of seven new laws establishing programs were enacted in 2022, including packaging EPR in California (SB 54) and Colorado (HB 22-1355), gas cylinders EPR in Connecticut (HB 5142), batteries EPR in California (AB 2440), pharmaceuticals EPR in Illinois (HB 1780), carpet EPR in New York (A 9279), and mattress EPR in Oregon (SB 1576).
These laws bring the U.S. national total to 131 EPR laws across 16 different products in 33 states and Washington, D.C. In the coming year, PSI expects EPR legislation to be introduced in over a dozen states for several different product areas, including batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, mattresses, packaging, paint, pharmaceuticals, and tires. We look forward to working with our community on these bills!
by Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, Marketing and Communications Director
In December, we celebrated our 22nd anniversary by representing the United States at conferences and events that furthered the international conversation about EPR. When this organization was founded by Scott Cassel in 2000, producer responsibility was in place in Europe and Canada, but had barely made a mark in the United States. Now, U.S. EPR is snowballing: In 2022 alone, legislators in 18 states considered 62 unique EPR bills covering 15 different product categories – and five became law. We welcomed the opportunities to celebrate with our national and international colleagues at these recent events:
In October, we joined a virtual NGO stakeholder meeting on plastics hosted by Monica Medina, the Assistant Secretary at the Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Medina had called the meeting in preparation for the first session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-1) on plastic pollution, which was to take place a month later in Punta del Este, Uruguay. The meeting kicked off with Medina announcing the “north star goal” of zero plastic pollution by 2040, and confirming that “EPR will one hundred percent be part of the solution.”
The following month, we joined a panel that explored how Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and other key regulations impact recycling in North America at the Plastics Recycling World Expo in Cleveland and presented to legislators from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia at a Chesapeake Bay Commission meeting on how to address plastic pollution through EPR legislation.
Then in December, PSI presented on EPR at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Recycling Committee meeting in Washington, D.C. and the National Conference of State Legislatures Private-Public Partnership on Recycling as part of a roundtable discussion on “Unpacking the Elements of Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation.”
Later that month, our CEO and founder Scott Cassel traveled to Paris to present on U.S. pharmaceuticals and medical sharps EPR as part of the 10 year anniversary celebration for DASTRI, the PRO responsible for sharps EPR management in France. Amanda Nicholson, our COO, discussed EPR and product stewardship as the concepts relate to manufacturing at a webinar hosted by ASSEMBLY magazine.
All in all, it was a busy and impactful quarter and a wonderful way to celebrate our 22nd year. We look forward to good things to come in 2023!
by Scott Cassel, CEO and Founder
This past December, the Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) and the Oklahoma Meds and Sharps Disposal Committee (OMSDC) kicked off a six-month pilot program to increase the safe collection and disposal of medical sharps in Oklahoma. Through the program, residents can drop off or mail back used medical sharps at multiple sites throughout the state for free. A few months in, the program is already seeing tremendous progress — a testament to the vital need for more robust infrastructure and education to deal with used syringes, needles, and lancets.
So far, the collection rate at several program sites has exceeded expectations, with Stop Harm on Tulsa Streets (SHOTS) and the City of Stillwater requesting pickup of collected sharps two months ahead of schedule due to an influx of residents safely disposing of their medical sharps. Another sign of the program’s progress is that most sites have distributed almost all at-home containers and will be ordering more soon. SHOTS has also been invited to collect sharps at a household hazardous waste drop-off event on March 5 in Tulsa.
The success of the take-back program is due to effective outreach by site partners and other members of the OMSDC, not to mention media attention. So far, the program has garnered national and local coverage from multiple news sources such as Waste Today, KJRH Channel 2 News Oklahoma, the Tahlequah Daily Press, and the Oklahoma State University Extension. Plus, the Oklahoma Recycling Association highlighted the program in a Facebook Live. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) also recently released a video promoting the program.
The significance of the program is twofold: not only does it provide convenient options for residents, in doing so it also protects public health and the environment. Improper disposal of medical sharps poses severe health and safety risks for families, sanitation workers, hospitality workers, and many others, in addition to polluting local parks, streets, and waterways. Nationwide, 7% of needles are flushed, and an estimated 3 billion sharps enter the municipal solid waste stream each year as trash.
“Most of us don’t have to think about medical sharps,” said Lelande Rehard, PSI’s senior associate for policy and programs. “But if you use sharps, are a frontline recycling/waste employee, work in public health, or coordinate regular litter cleanups, then you understand the importance of tackling this small but difficult material. The safe disposal of medical sharps is an environmental, safety, and social justice issue.”
PSI is already working on plans to expand the take-back program to new sites in the future. In particular, PSI is eager to create sharps collection sites in Native Nations and is pursuing funding to do so. Safe sharps disposal infrastructure in Native Nations is sparse despite the disproportionate number of Native Americans with diabetes — who likely use sharps — compared to white residents.
The current six-month take-back program continues to run now through mid-May 2022 or as long as supplies last. For more information about the program and where to safely dispose of medical sharps, visit bit.ly/OKsharpspilot.
The pilot is supported by a solid waste management grant from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.