Product Stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

Resources

The resource page will provides links to documents from CalRecycle workshops and events, and Web sites related to Product Stewardship and Extended Producer Responsibility (ERP).

Documents
Websites by Audience Groups
More Information

Documents

Approaches to EPR | Products | Environmentally Preferable Purchasing | International Programs

The documents in this section were part of CalRecycle workshops or meetings.

Approaches to EPR

This section contains CalRecycle documents addressing approaches to EPR for multiple products.

Overall Framework for an Extended Producer Responsibility System in California (Adobe PDF, 107 KB). Commonly referred to as CalRecycle’s EPR Framework document.
Analysis of Priority Product Selection (Word, 264 KB). This document covers preliminary product selection methodology, including selection criteria, and preliminary products identified using the methodology.
Producer Responsibility: Overview of Policy Considerations (Word, 322 KB), Strategic Policy Committee, June 5, 2007.
An Overview on Producer Responsibility (Adobe PDF, 281 KB). This was a staff presentation to the California Integrated Waste Management Board’s Strategic Policy Development Committee on June 5, 2007.

Products

This section contains CalRecycle-related documents by product type.

Carpet

Bentley Prince Street Carpet (Adobe PDF, 162 KB): Part of Interface, Inc., presentation by Judy Pike at the June 5, 2007 Strategic Policy Development Committee Meeting.
Carpet Stewardship Memorandum of Understanding (PDF, file size unknown). In January 2002 California joined with several other states, the US EPA and the carpet industry in an MOU. It is set to expire in 2010. As indicated in the Carpet America Recovery Effort 2008 Annual Report (PDF, file size unknown), in 2008, the percent of carpet recycled and diverted was 4.3 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively. This shows carpet recycling is far from reaching the MOU goals of recycling 20 to 25 percent by 2012. The 2007 Annual Report (page 9) provides recommendations to improve recycling.
CalRecycle Web page on carpet.

E-Waste

"Sony Electronics National Takeback And Recycling Program: As Easy To Recycle As It Is To Purchase" (Adobe PDF, 254 KB) presentation by Doug Smith, Sony with Bobby Farris, Waste Management, on the Sony Take Back Recycling Program at the April 28, 2008 CIWMB workshop titled, "EPR in Action: Program Design and Implementation."
"Case Study: Washington State Electronics Law" (Adobe PDF, 2.1 MB). A PowerPoint presentation by Sego Jackson and Walter Alcorn, at the April 28, 2008 CIWMB workshop titled, "EPR in Action: Program Design and Implementation."

Fluorescent Lighting

EPR issues for Mercury Lamps (Adobe PDF, 522 KB) presentation by Paul Abernathy, Association of Lighting and Mercury Recyclers, at the June 5, 2007 Strategic Policy Development Committee Meeting.
April 28, 2008 Workshop: Applying the Product Stewardship Framework Workshop--Residentially Generated Fluorescent Lamps. Workshop information, including agenda, speaker biographies, and presentations.
Product Stewardship Institute's (PSI) Fluorescent Lighting Dialogue Meeting, held July 15-16, 2008 in Seattle, Washington. The goal of this PSI multi-stakeholder project is to promote the use of energy efficient lighting while eliminating or reducing the amount of mercury and other toxins entering the environment during the lifecycle of fluorescent lamps.

Household Batteries

Applying the Product Stewardship Framework: Residentially Generated Household Batteries held April 29, 2008 in Sacramento, California. Highlights of the success stories and lessons learned from battery and fluorescent lamp collection programs from around the world. Workshop information, including agenda, speaker biographies, and presentations.
Recharbeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC) (Adobe PDF, 11.8 MB) presentation by Norm England, Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, at the June 5, 2007 Strategic Policy Development Committee Meeting.
CalRecycle Web page on Batteries.

Packaging

Introduction to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (Adobe PDF, 1.1 MB) by Anne Johnson, GreenBlue, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, at the June 5, 2007 Strategic Policy Development Committee Meeting.

Pharmaceuticals

Product Stewardship Institute's Pharmaceutical Dialogue, held June 19-20, 2008 in Sacramento, California. The meeting brought together industry, government, and non-government organizations to seek solutions to the end-of-life management of pharmaceuticals.

CalRecycle Web page on pharmaceuticals.

Sharps

Product Stewardship Institute's (PSI) Medical Sharps Dialogue Meeting, held September 23-24, 2008 in Sacramento, California. This second dialogue meeting brought key stakeholders together to discuss progress made on key issues that were identified during the first meeting. The PSI medical sharps project aims to solve a public health and safety issue by developing a national consensus on best management practices for safely disposing of needles.

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP)

Contracting for Producer Responsibility (Adobe PDF, 560 KB) presentation by Alicia Culver of the Green Purchasing Institute for the June 5, 2007 CIWMB workshop titled, "Producer Responsibility: Overview of Policy Considerations and Existing Implementation Approaches--Setting the Stage for Implementation of Strategic Directive #5."

International Programs

European Experience with Industry Stewardship Programs (Adobe PDF, 925 KB) presentation by Joachim Quoden, PRO-Europe at the April 28, 2008 EPR in Action: Program Design and Implementation Workshop.
How EPR is Progressing in Canada Adobe PDF, 427 KB) presentation by Mark McKenney, MGM Management at the April 28, 2008 EPR in Action: Program Design and Implementation Workshop.
International EPR Systems: Focus on Europe and British Columbia (Adobe PDF, 156 KB) by Heidi Sanborn, R3 Consulting Group at the June 5, 2007 Strategic Policy Development Committee Meeting.

Websites by Audience Groups

Consumers

You Can Make a Difference! A CalRecycle Web page with general information for consumers.
California Product Stewardship Council. Provides resources for becoming an advocate of producer responsibility.
Consumers Reports' Eco-labels center. Explains eco-labels and what to look for.
Earth 911, Product Stewardship. CalRecycle's Where Can I Recycle My... Web page with an online system to help you identify local recycling centers and basic information on product stewardship.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Explains "extended product responsibility" with information for consumers.
Product Stewardship Institute. Describes a national effort to advance product stewardship and provides product specific information on activities.

Government

California Product Stewardship Council. A nonprofit corporation attempting to advance EPR legislation both on the State and local level.
Environment Canada. Explains many of the EPR programs in Canada.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Best Practices Manual. The manual is available to assist you in finding and selecting environmentally preferable products.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Provides information regarding Minnesota’s efforts in EPR as well as recent national efforts.
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Information regarding Oregon's efforts towards EPR legislation as well as general EPR information.
Product Policy Institute. A research and communications organization promoting sustainable practices. Focuses on production and consumption and its link to waste generation and disposal.
Responsible Purchasing Network (RPN). A group of procurement professionals dedicated to socially responsible and environmentally sustainable purchasing. Offers many product-specific purchasing guidelines.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. General EPR information as well as links.
Washington Department of Ecology. Information regarding Washington's electronic product EPR program.

Haulers, Recyclers, Processors

Waste Management, Inc. Describes Waste Management’s partnership with Sony to implement Individual Producer Responsibility.

Non-Government Organizations

Individual Producer Responsibility Works (IPR Works). NGO and Industry Alliance dedicated to advancing individual producer responsibility.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. International group provides guidance for governments, economic data, and case studies related to EPR.
Product Policy Institute. Works toward product-focused environmental policies including EPR.
Product Stewardship Institute. A national organization dedicated to advancing EPR using stakeholder discussions to reach agreement and initiate programs.
Recycling Council of British Columbia. Recycling organization operating in British Columbia implementing many EPR programs.

Also see Stewardship Organizations.

Producers (Manufacturers, Brand Owners)

Automobile Manufacturers (PDF, 277 KB). A case study prepared by the University of Tennessee describing a take-back and recycling program for the automobile industry.
Caterpillar. Article describing Caterpillar's corporate EPR strategy using remanufacturing to address end-of-life management.
Sony. Information regarding Sony's Individual Producer Responsibility program to take back and recycle their electronics.
Design for Environment (DfE) Best Practices Lessons for Ministry of Environment (PDF, file size unknown). A 2009 report prepared for British Columbia to explore ways to incorporate green design into the Recycling Regulation and other initiatives.

Also see Stewardship Organizations.

Product Stewardship Councils

British Columbia Product Stewardship Council. Information about British Columbia's council responsible for monitoring EPR programs.
The following councils provide resources for becoming an advocate of producer responsibility:

Retailers

Home Depot. A New York Times article describing Home Depot's participation in Compact Fluorescent Lights take-back programs. Also information about IKEA and Walmart.
Environment Canada (PDF, file size unknown). Guidance Manual for Establishing, Maintaining and Improving Producer Responsibility Organizations in Canada.
Individual Producer Responsibility Works (IPR Works). This website provides information to producers interested in establishing their own product stewardship program.
Retail Industry Leaders Association Sustainability Initiative (RILA). Created by RILA, the initiative helps retail companies to meet environmental standards relevant to the retail industry and pursue responsible environmentally sustainable activities and business practices.

Industry Product Stewardship Organizations

The organizations below (grouped by location) are advocates for product stewardship or manage product stewardship programs.

Canada

Europe (This is a small sampling of Stewardship Organizations in Europe.)

CarTakeBack (Vehicles in the United Kingdom.)
El:Retur (Electronic equipment in Norway.)
Fost Plus (Packaging in Belgium.)
PRO Europe (Packaging in multiple countries.)
European Portable Battery Association (Batteries in multiple countries.)

United States

More Information...

For more information, use the contact information below or refer to frequently asked questions.

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Last updated: July 7, 2010

Extended Producer Responsibility and Stewardship http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/EPR/
Contact: EPR@calrecycle.ca.gov (916) 341-6449