Recycling Reinvented, a new non-profit organization aimed at increasing recycling rates of packaging and printed paper through a newly energized form of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, which encourages producers to take the material for reuse.
EPR, which is also known as Product Stewardship, has been demonstrated as a highly effective mechanism for reducing waste, saving energy and reducing material consumption through recycling. It works by shifting the responsibility for the waste back to the people who produced it originally.
By way of background, the practice originated in Europe in the early 90’s, but it made its debut here, in the form of various state bottle bills. California has been the leader in this area with program for all of the following items:
- Paint
- Carpeting
- Mercury thermometers
- Beverage bottles
Source: Triple Pundit
By RP Siegel