EPR for Packaging and Printed Paper in British Columbia
The Global Product Stewardship Council and Product Stewardship Institute held a special policy breakfast session with the British Columbia Ministry of Environment on 27 September, 2011 about British Columbia’s new requirement that all producers of packaging and printed paper collect and recycle the products they make and sell. BC currently has more product stewardship programs than any other North American jurisdiction and this latest regulation is considered a possible model for the U.S.
The session was held in conjunction with the 7th Annual National Product Stewardship Forum and the 26th Annual Hazardous Materials Management Conference in Portland, Oregon. The BC Ministry’s David Lawes provided an overview of BC’s framework Recycling Regulation and extended producer responsibility in BC, and Teresa Conner outlined the implications for packaging and printed paper. The presentation is available here. Lengthy discussions followed the presentation.
Thanks to the Product Stewardship Institute, David, Teresa and session sponsor Nestle Waters North America for making the event possible. We’d also like to thank all those that attended. Despite allowing for a reasonable-sized crowd, we had standing room only and had to expand into an adjoining meeting room to accommodate the interest.
