As concerns about the accelerating climate crisis grow around the globe, some governments are enacting regulations that are designed to improve sustainability. Most notably, the European Union is putting in place rules on packaging and packaging waste, including design and waste management. These rules are designed to deal with the increasing quantities of packaging waste, which cause environmental problems. They also aim to remove barriers in the internal market—caused by EU countries adopting different rules on packaging design.

Across the pond, California is poised to enact additional regulations in 2025. Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 54 on June 30, 2022, creating an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program and imposing some related prohibitions for certain single-use packaging and plastic single-use food service ware in California. This law imposes significant recycling and EPR requirements for “producers” of single-use packaging and food service items sold or otherwise distributed in California. It mandates that by 2032, single-use plastics (packaging and food ware) in California be reduced by 25%, 65% be recycled and 100% be recyclable or compostable. And that’s just part of what’s coming next year. In fact, the law requires producers of covered material to have joined a Producer Responsibility Organization by January 1, 2024, and to begin implement EPR programming, according to the Environmental Law Institute.

Why is this important to printers and packaging converters? Regulatory agencies are creating EPR programs affecting brands, retailers and the manufacturers that support them, mandating reduction of the disposal of packaging waste and promoting a more circular economy. As manufacturers, printers and packaging converters are clearly targets of these regulations, along with their brand and retailer clients. Taking the regulatory approach back to the design phase means producers can also be held accountable for the design of products and packaging, to ensure that they don’t create waste from the outset. Since printers and packaging converters often offer design services, this presents an additional point of accountability for them, likely in partnership with their brand/retailer clients.