Industry Experience Is Critical for Oregon Packaging Responsibility Program
Statement from AMERIPEN Executive Director Dan Felton: Industry Experience Is Critical for Oregon to Have a Truly Circular and Results Based Packaging Responsibility Program
August 6, 2021 (St. Paul, MN) — “AMERIPEN is disappointed that Governor Kate Brown has signed packaging producer responsibility legislation into law that does not grant producers a greater role in the development of the program, but we look forward to bringing our extensive experience to the table to shape the best possible outcome for all Oregonians.
“AMERIPEN uniquely represents the critical elements of packaging’s circular economy, and no one knows packaging better than our members who design, supply, produce, distribute, collect and process it. Our members are driving innovation, designing for better environmental performance and know what it takes to boost recycling and evolve its infrastructure.
“AMERIPEN supports producers sharing some financial responsibility for the recycling and recovery of their packaging materials, but Senate Bill 582 creates an administratively burdensome system that will increase costs for Oregon residents. A better-suited solution for Oregon would be one that simplifies the processes and governance structure for packaging producer responsibility, while simultaneously increasing packaging recycling and recovery in Oregon.
“More packaging materials need to be properly and sustainably collected and processed in the state and we are concerned that this law on its own will not satisfy that need. We look forward to continuing our productive collaboration with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and bringing our know-how to the table to help them craft rules to implement packaging policy solutions that are:
- Results Based – designed to achieve the packaging recycling and recovery needed to enable a circular economy.
- Efficient and Effective – focused on best practices and solutions that spur positive behaviors, increase packaging recycling and recovery, recapture material values and limit administrative costs.
- Equitable and Fair – focused on all material types and funded by shared cost allocations that are scaled to make the system work and perceived as fair among all contributors and stakeholders.”
Learn more about AMERIPEN's principles and objectives for successful packaging producer responsibility programs here.
AMERIPEN – the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment – is a coalition of packaging industry entities dedicated to improving packaging and the environment. We are the only material neutral packaging policy association in the United States and our membership represents the entire packaging supply chain, including materials suppliers, packaging producers, consumer packaged goods companies and end-of-life materials managers. Our Vision is for packaging to be recognized for all its benefits, including preventing waste and driving a circular economy and our Mission is to be the leading voice for the packaging industry, using science to inspire, create and advocate for sustainable solutions for the packaging value chain.