This SCHC Virtual Table Talk program is open to members only.  Join us online for a quick, casual, and informative hour where the topic changes every month. 

May Topic:  "Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): There’s a new type of regulation in town"

Speaker: Erin LaCosta, P.E, Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants

Host: Katie Dennig, Geosyntec Consultants and Claire Mathis, H2 Compliance Inc.

Summary: 

This presentation provides an overview of Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) across the United States and Canada, where regulations increasingly require producers to help fund and manage the recycling and end of life treatment of packaging placed on the market. In both countries, packaging EPR programs are designed to shift waste management costs from municipalities to producers while strengthening recycling systems and improving environmental outcomes.

In the United States, packaging EPR laws are adopted at the state level, with programs establishing recycling performance goals and requiring producer participation through approved producer responsibility organizations (PROs). In Canada, packaging EPR is driven by provincial regulations, which place full responsibility for residential packaging and printed paper management on producers and are rapidly expanding nationwide.

From a marketing and brand perspective, packaging EPR reflects growing expectations from regulators, retailers, and consumers for transparent, responsible packaging practices. These programs also encourage innovation in packaging design—prioritizing recyclability, reuse, and circularity—allowing companies to align regulatory compliance with sustainability storytelling and environmental leadership.

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The virtual table talks are brought to you by the SCHC Program Committee.