In the Loop September 2026

27 Oct, 2026

Extended Producer Responsibility: Who’s responsible for what happens next?

For decades, recycling conversations in the United States have largely focused on the consumer: put the right item in the right bin, follow local guidelines, and keep recyclables out of the landfill.

But what if responsibility didn’t begin and end with the consumer?

That’s the idea behind Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR.

EPR shifts more of the financial and operational responsibility for end-of-life materials toward the companies that design, manufacture and introduce products and packaging into the marketplace. As of 2026, seven states have enacted comprehensive packaging EPR laws: Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, Minnesota, Maryland and Washington.

Learn more about EPR in the United States here.

Mini Deep Dive – What Exactly Is Extended Producer Responsibility?

At its simplest, EPR asks:

If a company puts a product or package into the world, how much responsibility should it have for what happens when that product reaches the end of its useful life?

EPR can include:

• Funding collection and recycling programs
• Reporting materials placed on the market
• Paying fees based on environmental impact
• Supporting recycling infrastructure
• Meeting recovery targets
• Designing products and packaging for reuse or recycling
• Establishing take-back programs

The idea is that companies making decisions about materials and design are also in a strong position to improve what happens at the end of a product’s life.

EPR therefore isn’t just about recycling. It can influence how products are designed in the first place.

The concept has its roots in Europe, with Germany introducing one of the earliest comprehensive packaging EPR systems in 1991. In the U.S., early producer responsibility programs focused heavily on products such as batteries before expanding into packaging and other materials

Words of Wisdom

“The less we waste, the more we value.”

– Jane Goodall

What’s up in the Market?

Oregon’s EPR program passes a major legal test

Oregon’s packaging EPR law recently survived a federal constitutional challenge, helping clear another hurdle for the state’s producer-funded recycling system. Oregon’s program launched in July 2025 as the first comprehensive producer-funded packaging EPR program in the U.S.

Oregon’s EPR law survives first constitutional test

California moves into implementation

California’s SB 54 regulations took effect May 1, 2026, moving the state’s packaging EPR framework into implementation. The state’s approved Producer Responsibility Organization, Circular Action Alliance, submitted its program plan in June.

https://calrecycle.ca.gov/packaging/packaging-epr

EPR Turns Responsibility Into Opportunity

For Close the Loop, the principles behind EPR aren’t new.

We’ve spent years helping businesses find better destinations for products and materials through recycling, recovery, secure destruction, reuse and second-life solutions.

Through solutions like Recycling Kits, we also help businesses, schools and consumers create collection pathways for materials such as ink and toner cartridges, office supplies, eyewear, 3D printer filament and technology accessories.

Learn more about Recycling Kits here.

Additionally, through Close the Loop’s Packaging division, advancements continue to be made, creating sustainable packaging through innovative designs, flexible carton solutions, and manufacturing capabilities that help brands move toward more environmentally responsible packaging.

As EPR continues to evolve, so does the path toward a more circular economy, where producers, consumers, and recovery partners all play a role in keeping materials in circulation.

Learn more about Close the Loop packaging here.

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

For the past 10 years, Greg Elpers has been part of Close the Loop, working in a variety of fields focused on helping customers find sustainable solutions for their materials and products. Today, as Senior Development Manager, Greg works across several areas, including modeling return programs, remarketing materials, developing sustainable packaging solutions for CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) customers, and managing the disposition of materials generated through Close the Loop’s recycling processes.

With Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations becoming an increasingly important consideration for CPG companies, Greg has seen firsthand how sustainability is influencing packaging decisions.

“I’ve found that many CPG customers are doing more analysis on the cost of sustainable packaging to stay within the EPR regulations,” said Elpers. “Not only to meet their profitability or financial goals, but to mitigate the risk within the legislation while also reaching their sustainability goals.”

As EPR continues to evolve, so does the path toward a more circular economy, where producers, consumers, and recovery partners all play a role in keeping materials in circulation.

“Sustainability means a circular economy. We are constantly looking for new, better ways to recycle packaging to contribute to that circular economy.”

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