FAQ
What is a Producer Responsibility system?
What is a Producer Responsibility system?
It’s a system where companies pay into a fund based on the packaging they use in their products. Done right, enough money is raised to give everyone convenient recycling services (at no cost to the consumer), more recycled material gets back to companies to be reused (instead of using virgin materials), and the money is raised in ways that result in companies reducing the packaging they use, especially the non-recyclable plastics that are bad for our environment. With *$104 million* in valuable consumer paper and packaging ending up in our landfills each year, Washington is wasting a tremendous opportunity to develop a better recycling system.
It’s a system where companies pay into a fund based on the packaging they use in their products. Done right, enough money is raised to give everyone convenient recycling services (at no cost to the consumer), more recycled material gets back to companies to be reused (instead of using virgin materials), and the money is raised in ways that result in companies reducing the packaging they use, especially the non-recyclable plastics that are bad for our environment. With *$104 million* in valuable consumer paper and packaging ending up in our landfills each year, Washington is wasting a tremendous opportunity to develop a better recycling system.
What problems can producer responsibility solve?
What problems can producer responsibility solve?
A Washington Producer Responsibility Policy will significantly increase recycling rate and create more equitable access by making it easy for all Washingtonians to recycle more plastic, aluminum, glass, cardboard, and printed paper. It can increase the supply of valuable recyclable materials for companies. Most companies can’t rely on Washington for materials to make their packaging so they get it from virgin sources – often mining, drilling and cutting down trees. If Washington boosted our recycling, companies would have a more reliable supply of recyclable materials like glass and aluminum and could use more recycled content in their stuff.
A Washington Producer Responsibility Policy will significantly increase recycling rate and create more equitable access by making it easy for all Washingtonians to recycle more plastic, aluminum, glass, cardboard, and printed paper. It can increase the supply of valuable recyclable materials for companies. Most companies can’t rely on Washington for materials to make their packaging so they get it from virgin sources – often mining, drilling and cutting down trees. If Washington boosted our recycling, companies would have a more reliable supply of recyclable materials like glass and aluminum and could use more recycled content in their stuff.
It can reduce the unnecessary and wasteful packaging we are inundated with. Right now, companies do not have to pay for the disposal or recycling of their packaging. But if they were charged up front, they’d produce less of it. And if they were charged more for materials that are bad for the environment, like plastics, they’d use less plastics in their packaging.
It can reduce the unnecessary and wasteful packaging we are inundated with. Right now, companies do not have to pay for the disposal or recycling of their packaging. But if they were charged up front, they’d produce less of it. And if they were charged more for materials that are bad for the environment, like plastics, they’d use less plastics in their packaging.
What is a producer?
What is a producer?
A “producer” is the company that owns the brand of the product you buy and makes decisions around packaging. For example, Dave’s Hot Sauce pays for the hot sauce bottle, not the company that made the bottle and sold it to Dave’s Hot Sauce. For online orders of Dave’s Hot Sauce, Amazon would pay for the packaging they add to the product and Dave’s Hot Sauce would pay for its bottle. A producer will pay for boxes, bottles, cans, wrapping, stuffing.
A “producer” is the company that owns the brand of the product you buy and makes decisions around packaging. For example, Dave’s Hot Sauce pays for the hot sauce bottle, not the company that made the bottle and sold it to Dave’s Hot Sauce. For online orders of Dave’s Hot Sauce, Amazon would pay for the packaging they add to the product and Dave’s Hot Sauce would pay for its bottle. A producer will pay for boxes, bottles, cans, wrapping, stuffing.
A producer is also the entity that sends junk mail and magazines – they’d pay for the paper used. There are exceptions including newspapers (they support the program by offering free education on recycling), small businesses that have less than $5 million in revenue or use less than 1 ton of materials, most agriculture, restaurants, builders, and nonprofits.
A producer is also the entity that sends junk mail and magazines – they’d pay for the paper used. There are exceptions including newspapers (they support the program by offering free education on recycling), small businesses that have less than $5 million in revenue or use less than 1 ton of materials, most agriculture, restaurants, builders, and nonprofits.
How can producer responsibility programs lead to smarter, more sustainable packaging design?
How can producer responsibility programs lead to smarter, more sustainable packaging design?
Think about how toothpaste is packaged. Right now, that tube is made of plastic, surrounded by a cardboard box, which is sometimes even shrink wrapped.
In an extended producer responsibility program (EPR), the company should be financially responsible for the disposal of the tube, box, and shrink wrap. If the EPR program utilizes eco-modulated fees, then the fees that they pay into the EPR program would be higher if the materials they use are not reusable, compostable, or easily recycled, and lower if they are.
Think about how toothpaste is packaged. Right now, that tube is made of plastic, surrounded by a cardboard box, which is sometimes even shrink wrapped.
In an extended producer responsibility program (EPR), the company should be financially responsible for the disposal of the tube, box, and shrink wrap. If the EPR program utilizes eco-modulated fees, then the fees that they pay into the EPR program would be higher if the materials they use are not reusable, compostable, or easily recycled, and lower if they are.
With eco-modulated fees as part of the EPR program,the cost of the tube and shrink wrap would be higher because those forms of plastic are bad for the environment and not easily reused/recycled into something new. The company would likely remove the shrink wrap and the box (unnecessary for keeping the product safe and secure).
With eco-modulated fees as part of the EPR program,the cost of the tube and shrink wrap would be higher because those forms of plastic are bad for the environment and not easily reused/recycled into something new. The company would likely remove the shrink wrap and the box (unnecessary for keeping the product safe and secure).
The company would also likely develop a new tube that doesn’t use plastic so it could cut costs there. If the company were strategic, it would use recyclable material because the system would expand recycling in WA, increasing the amount of that material that gets put in recycling bins and sent back to the company so they can use it again, reducing their costs again because they can reuse that material VS. mining/logging/drilling somewhere far away for virgin material.
The company would also likely develop a new tube that doesn’t use plastic so it could cut costs there. If the company were strategic, it would use recyclable material because the system would expand recycling in WA, increasing the amount of that material that gets put in recycling bins and sent back to the company so they can use it again, reducing their costs again because they can reuse that material VS. mining/logging/drilling somewhere far away for virgin material.
Where is this type of policy in place and how is it working?
Where is this type of policy in place and how is it working?
Over 40 countries and provinces have Producer Responsibility policies for consumer containers and packaging materials. Leading Canadian and European programs have recycling rates up to 85%, compared to Washington’s current rate of 49%. Maine and Oregon adopted the first US policies for Producer Responsibility for packaging in 2021. Colorado and California adopted policies in 2022. Many other states are introducing similar policies.
Over 40 countries and provinces have Producer Responsibility policies for consumer containers and packaging materials. Leading Canadian and European programs have recycling rates up to 85%, compared to Washington’s current rate of 49%. Maine and Oregon adopted the first US policies for Producer Responsibility for packaging in 2021. Colorado and California adopted policies in 2022. Many other states are introducing similar policies.
What will producers pay in dues and how will that work?
What will producers pay in dues and how will that work?
The producer responsibility system will be run by the nonprofit producer responsibility organization (PRO). We first need to determine the total money that needs to be raised to pay for expanded recycling for everyone in the state. The PRO is required to provide recycling as convenient as trash services to every resident in the first few years and then determine what it would cost to also provide recycling to businesses later.
The producer responsibility system will be run by the nonprofit producer responsibility organization (PRO). We first need to determine the total money that needs to be raised to pay for expanded recycling for everyone in the state. The PRO is required to provide recycling as convenient as trash services to every resident in the first few years and then determine what it would cost to also provide recycling to businesses later.
Will this raise prices for consumers?
Will this raise prices for consumers?
Producer Responsibility programs are in place in over 40 countries and provinces, and some have been around for nearly three decades. All of the available evidence shows that Producer Responsibility programs do not lead to a noticeable increase in consumer prices based on research on similar programs throughout Canada and Europe.
Since the cost to companies required to participate typically works out to be fractions of a penny per container, Producer Responsibility programs do not directly cause increased prices for consumers. According to Forbes, there are many factors currently contributing to inflation and rising prices for consumers. This includes shortages in the supply chains due to the pandemicand the increased costs of labor. These factors have a far greater impact on the price of goods than the funding used to support recycling, and increasing a reliable supply of recycled material may even help reduce future costs to producers.
Producer Responsibility programs are in place in over 40 countries and provinces, and some have been around for nearly three decades. All of the available evidence shows that Producer Responsibility programs do not lead to a noticeable increase in consumer prices based on research on similar programs throughout Canada and Europe.
Since the cost to companies required to participate typically works out to be fractions of a penny per container, Producer Responsibility programs do not directly cause increased prices for consumers. According to Forbes, there are many factors currently contributing to inflation and rising prices for consumers. This includes shortages in the supply chains due to the pandemicand the increased costs of labor. These factors have a far greater impact on the price of goods than the funding used to support recycling, and increasing a reliable supply of recycled material may even help reduce future costs to producers.
Who supports Producer Responsibility policies?
Who supports Producer Responsibility policies?
This policy is supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition including:
This policy is supported by a broad, bipartisan coalition including:
Local governments from around the state that want to provide better recycling services and reduce costs.
Local governments from around the state that want to provide better recycling services and reduce costs.
Consumer goods companies that want to improve the sustainability of their packaging and secure more recycled materials to use to make their products. Over 100 global companies have publicly stated that Producer Responsibility policies are a necessary part of the solution to increase recycling, reduce plastic pollution, and help strengthen local economies.
Consumer goods companies that want to improve the sustainability of their packaging and secure more recycled materials to use to make their products. Over 100 global companies have publicly stated that Producer Responsibility policies are a necessary part of the solution to increase recycling, reduce plastic pollution, and help strengthen local economies.
Environmental organizations and other nonprofits that want to reduce climate pollution, unnecessary plastics, and overall waste.
Environmental organizations and other nonprofits that want to reduce climate pollution, unnecessary plastics, and overall waste.
Photo attribution: (Header) Joshua Earle on Unsplash