Responsibility | Voices PPAI: 111248 | ASI: 35375 | SAGE: 50327 | UPIC: ACCENTS | DC: 101273 Made & Printed in the USA Quick Turn Arounds Low Minimums www.americanaccents.com | 888.287.7883 Scan for pricing! •Made from a 2-ply facial quality material •8 napkin colors to choose from •Made with 20% recycled fibers •Metallic and neon ink colors oered at no extra cost •Free PMS matching •4 imprint methods available 100 piece minimums! COLORED DINNER NAPKINS Gaining Momentum The West Coast is not the only region that has implemented state-level requirements regarding end-of-life concerns for consumer products. In 2021, Maine’s legislature enacted a law that created what the state is calling a stewardship program. Maine’s EPR law establishes an organization to implement the stewardship program under the oversight of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. This arrangement is similar to the western states’ PROs, with the same funding mechanism. Massachusetts also expanded its waste disposal ban in 2022 by adding textiles to the list of covered materials and lowering the threshold for food waste to trigger the law’s requirements. As of November 2022, facilities generating more than one half-ton of organic or food waste per week are covered by the disposal ban. There is an exception; some contaminated textiles are exempt from the waste disposal ban’s enforcement. In addition to existing laws, two dozen states have proposed new EPR policies in 2023 alone. Some are creating new mandates, while others are expanding on existing requirements. Complying with these demands will likely require an approach similar to methods for adhering to other laws our industry has dealt with before. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act, among others, taught us the importance of recordkeeping, reporting, registration and other solutions. Needless to say, distributors and suppliers need to be prepared. Norris is the public affairs manager at PPAI. Under SB 54, plastic packaging in California must be recyclable or compostable by 2032. PPAI • JUNE 2023 • 37
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