SUBJECT:
Title
Extended Producer Responsibility Discussion
Department
DEPARTMENT: Environmental Services
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Emma Marino, Sustainability & Water Conservation Specialist
Eryka Thorley, Sustainability Division Manager
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Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 60 minutes
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Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY:
N/A
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
??Waste diversion is a key priority outlined in the 2019 Sustainability Plan with emissions from waste being the single largest greenhouse gas emission source in Erie. ?
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend that Council receive at a minimum yearly presentations or memos about the Extended Producer Responsibility program.
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
* ??The Town and its residents can receive funding and reimbursements as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility program (EPR) operated by the State to offset the cost of recycling.
* ?Funding is collected from consumer products producers and will then be issued as reimbursements to eligible organizations (waste collectors, recycling transfer station operators like the Erie Recycling Center, materials recovery facilities, etc.), reimbursements are expected later in 2026.
* ?Haulers are not required to participate, so staff recommends residents confirm what they are paying for recycling services today and request their waste hauler participate.?
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
??On June 3, 2022, the Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling Act, House Bill 22-1355, was signed into law. It established a Producer Responsibility program that requires companies that sell products in packaging and paper products to fund a statewide recycling system to recycle those materials. This program, referred to as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), requires related companies to form a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) that coordinates, funds, and manages this statewide recycling system.
?Circular Action Alliance (CAA) was appointe...
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