EPR: A Solution Looking for a Problem

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Press release from the issuing company

New PPC webinar highlights issues with Extended Producer Responsibility for paperboard packaging

SPRINGFIELD, MA—The Paperboard Packaging Council (PPC) recently released a new webinar that educates industry leaders, legislators, and consumers on the misguided efforts of some environmental groups to impose Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates on sustainable and recyclable paper and paperboard products.

Developed by Kyla Fisher, President of Three Peaks Sustainability, and Kim Guarnaccia, Director of Marketing and Communications at PPC, the webinar first provides an introduction to EPR, which is defined as initiatives that encourage the creation of recyclable packaging by shifting the recovery costs from municipalities to brand owners and manufacturers. It goes on to explain that while EPR’s end goal is commendable—and achievable for some hard-to-recycle products—the paperboard packaging industry’s current voluntary recycling initiatives are already a success.

Since 96% of consumers have access to paper recycling and 65% of paper and paperboard is recovered, sustainability experts say that forcing producers and manufacturers to absorb recovery costs would only hurt the carton industry’s already successful recycling efforts. In fact, as far as paperboard is concerned, EPR is a solution for a problem that doesn’t even exist.

“An informed industry is a powerful industry,” said Ben Markens, President of PPC. “This webinar is just one of our association’s offerings designed to educate leaders in the folding carton industry on the latest issues of concern, as well as provide them with strategic advice for managing threats and fueling growth.”

To get up to speed on EPR concerns and learn what you can do to stop these initiatives, view the webinar. Members can browse PPC’s comprehensive webinar library at paperbox.org/webinars.