What are EPR Laws?
How Brands Are Helping Improve Recycling
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a system that holds brands responsible for what happens to their packaging and products after people use them.
EPR encourages companies to make their products easier to recycle – and better for the environment.
How EPR Works
Helping Brands Meet
their Responsibilities
Under EPR, brands team up to make recycling better. They join a nonprofit group called a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO), which helps build a stronger recycling system
One of those groups is Circular Action Alliance (CAA), which runs RecycleOn and supports companies that sell paper and packaging. Other EPR laws cover items like batteries, mattresses, paint, electronics, and more.
With funds from brands, PROs can:
- Upgrade recycling infrastructure
- Expand recycling access to more places
- Educate the public on how to recycle
- Help brands comply with EPR
Where is EPR?
The States Leading the Way on EPR
Currently, seven states have passed EPR laws for paper and packaging:
California, Colorado, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington
Recycling you Can Trust
What Happens to Your Recycling
When you recycle, your items don’t just disappear. After pickup, they’re sorted and sent to “end markets”, the companies that turn recyclables into new products.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws help make the system more accountable and transparent. These laws often require tracking and audits to make sure recyclables are recycled the right way.
It’s all about building a circular economy you can trust.