Every year, Americans produce billions of tons of plastic, barely a fraction of which gets recycled. The remainder often ends up in landfills or pollutes our oceans and waterways, causing disastrous environmental damage. Why are we in this predicament? The simple truth is that plastic manufacturers aren't held legally responsible for their post-consumer waste. This is where EPR comes in. In this blog post, as recycled plastic manufacturers, we will explain what EPR for plastics is about, its benefits, and how it can transform our waste management system.
What is EPR?
EPR, or Extended Producer Responsibility, is a policy framework that assigns responsibility for the post-consumer consumption of products to the plastics manufacturers. It incentivizes manufacturers to design environmentally friendly products made up of fewer hazardous materials that can be easily dismantled, reused, or safely disposed of once the product’s life span is over.
How does EPR for plastics work?
EPR for plastics works by making plastic manufacturers responsible for managing the end-of-life of their products, either physically or financially. Through this policy, manufacturers are charged a fee that government or private companies then uses to create a recycling or disposal program. This fee may also be invested in making it easier for consumers to recycle plastics (for example, by creating community recycling centers) and incentivizing manufacturers to design products with a lower environmental impact.
EPR has several benefits, such as reducing waste, conserving resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, creating new jobs, and encouraging innovation. Here are five more specific benefits of using EPR for plastics:
EPR for plastics is used in states like Maine, Minnesota, and California. As recycled plastic manufacturers, we believe this policy should be nationally adopted. Many states have recycling goals, but not enough policies exist to support these goals, which results in the limited success and achievement. By implementing EPR policies, states can not only make EPR dreams a reality, but also incentivize manufacturers to create products that contribute to a sustainable future.
EPR for plastics is a vital policy framework that holds manufacturers responsible for managing the end-of-life of their products. As recycled plastic manufacturers, we know that EPR is a step in the right direction toward mitigating plastic waste and creating a circular economy. By implementing EPR, manufacturers will be incentivized to design products that use fewer hazardous materials, are easier to recycle, and promote a sustainable future. It is now up to more states to adopt this policy and drive change toward a more sustainable tomorrow.
At Becher Plastics, our mission is to help our customers reduce their carbon footprint by providing high-quality recycled plastic resins in Wisconsin. We offer a full spectrum of recycling and brokerage services for Wisconsin businesses. For more information on our plastic recycling services, get in touch with Becher Plastics now.
