The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) selected Circular Action Alliance (CAA) to represent producer interests and serve as the single nonprofit Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) on the State Producer Responsibility Advisory Council established under Senate Bill 222, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) law enacted in May 2023.
The Statewide Recycling Needs Assessment and Producer Responsibility for Packaging Materials Act requires an assessment of the state’s recycling infrastructure and the appointment of members to an Advisory Council, who will develop and present recommendations for establishing and implementing an EPR plan for packaging materials to the Governor by December 1, 2024.
“CAA is honored to be selected as the PRO to represent the interests of producers in Maryland, and the team looks forward to working collaboratively with other members of the Council to develop recommendations for a best-in-class EPR program for packaging materials,” said Charlie Schwarze, CAA Board Chair. “CAA’s experience in carrying out a statewide needs assessment in Colorado and preparing to implement EPR programs for packaging around the country positions CAA well to support Maryland producers and stakeholders in this important effort.”
CAA will be the single PRO to serve on Maryland’s Advisory Council. CAA became the first PRO approved to administer an EPR program for paper and packaging in the U.S. on May 1, 2023, after being appointed by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment as the PRO in charge of implementing Colorado’s Producer Responsibility Program for Statewide Recycling Act.
CAA is working to support producers in each of the states that have enacted EPR laws for paper and packaging, which require companies to fund and manage programs that ensure the paper and packaging they supply to consumers are collected and recycled responsibly. CAA will support producers with harmonized compliance and reporting services while implementing program plans that meet the unique needs of each state.