Oregon approves EPR Program Plan

Following a collaborative review process, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has approved the program plan submitted by Circular Action Alliance (CAA), making CAA the producer responsibility organization (PRO) for Oregon’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging, paper and food serviceware. The program plan describes CAA’s approach to implementing Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) requirements beginning July 1 and aims to enhance recycling, waste reduction and reuse across the state through several key initiatives:

• providing funding to local governments and recycling service providers for improvements to Oregon’s recycling system;
• establishing locations around the state to collect harder-to-recycle items;
• ensuring that collected materials are recycled responsibly;
• creating educational resources to help people learn about recycling changes and opportunities; and
• reducing environmental impacts of paper, packaging, and food serviceware through fee incentives and by capitalizing a new waste reduction and reuse program.

The Oregon DEQ describes the RMA as an update to Oregon’s recycling system that will make it easier for people to recycle by expanding recycling services, upgrading the facilities that sort recyclables and reducing social and environmental harms, such as plastic pollution. Producers and manufacturers of paper, packaging, and food serviceware will fund these needed improvements.

“The approval of Oregon's first-in-the-nation packaging EPR plan demonstrates the value of partnership with DEQ and input from organizations across the state," says Jeff Fielkow, CEO of CAA, which is headquartered in Washington. "By working together, we have developed a balanced framework that ensures producer compliance while delivering tangible improvements to Oregon’s recycling system. We look forward to launching this transformative program in July.”

CAA says the RMA’s vision focuses on addressing systemic challenges in Oregon’s recycling infrastructure, including improving the amount of material recycled, reducing nonrecyclables or contamination within the system and engaging producers of products to manage the lifecycle impacts of their products.

“Plan approval clears the way for the Oregon team to begin the next phase in implementation of the law,” says Kim Homes, CAA Oregon executive director. “Our producer portal is live and receiving data, and we have finalized all guidance and agreements for producers, both significant milestones reflecting the substantial efforts that position us for a strong start. We are ready and encouraged by producers' recent engagement with CAA as we work together towards the first EPR reporting cycle for paper, packaging and food serviceware in the U.S.”

With RMA implementation set to begin July 1, 2025, CAA says it is poised to make significant strides in reducing the environmental impact of packaging waste while fostering economic and environmental benefits for Oregon communities.

Under the RMA, local governments retain responsibility for funding and managing curbside recycling collection and delivering educational programs. Producers of covered products, through the PRO CAA, provide funding to support existing material processing costs and some transportation costs. The PRO also funds certain system improvements and innovations and funds and manages the collection of certain materials through a depot system.

“DEQ’s approval of this plan is a significant step towards better recycling in Oregon,” says Scott Keller, chair of the Oregon Recycling System Advisory Council and senior program manager with the city of Beaverton, Oregon. “Oregon has led the way in recycling for years, and this law will help us improve even more!”

The DEQ says that while CAA will begin funding improvements to Oregon’s recycling system next summer, it will take time for those investments to result in changes visible to Oregon residents and businesses. Many enhancements will occur at the facilities and end markets where recycling goes after collection bins are emptied. Changes to recycling services and drop-off locations will be different for each community, the agency adds, and will ramp up over the next several year.

As outlined by state law, CAA submitted its first draft of the plan in March of last year, the second draft in September and the final draft in December. The approved plan reflects several rounds of public comments, review by the Oregon Recycling System Advisory Council, and feedback from DEQ experts.

“By approving this plan, DEQ endorses the new PRO, Circular Action Alliance,” says Nicole Portley, DEQ Materials Management PRO program plan lead. “We worked closely with CAA during the development of the program plan, and we look forward to continuing to work with them and all the program partners to ensure the requirements of the Recycling Modernization Act are met as we build Oregon’s new recycling system together.”

DEQ says it will oversee CAA’s implementation of the approved plan and will assist local governments and recycling service providers as they work together to bring essential and positive changes to Oregon's recycling system.

CAA has been selected as the PRO in several other states that also have passed extended producer responsibility laws for packaging, including California, Colorado, Maryland and Minnesota. Oregon is the first state with an approved program plan and will be the first to launch an EPR program for packaging and paper.