June 16, 2025
The 2025 U.S. Product Stewardship Forum, held this June in Chicago, marked more than just a milestone anniversary for PSI—it reflected a sea change in how we manage materials in the United States. Over two packed days, leaders from state and federal environmental agencies, corporations, recycling organizations, and environmental groups came together to exchange lessons, ask tough questions, and celebrate the movement’s momentum.
With 146 extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws for 21 product categories now in place across the country, the Forum struck a balance between celebration and reality check. If the past two decades was focused on passing policy, the next will be defined by how well we put it into practice.
The Shift from Policy to Practice
Policy champions took the stage to reflect on what it takes to advance legislation. Maryland State Senator Malcolm Augustine said during his keynote, “Compromise is when good policy is also good for business, the environment and consumers.”
Senator Heidi Campbell of Tennessee underscored the challenge of navigating political polarization: “Everything is very political right now. But I believe that EPR does not need to be political as it serves the interest of all Tennesseans.”
The conversation has truly shifted from “if” to “how.” Oregon’s packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) program—under the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (SB 582) is just weeks away from launching. Cheryl Grabham of Oregon DEQ put it plainly: “We are ready for program launch, which is 27 days away.”
This matters because effective EPR doesn’t just depend on well-written laws—it depends on how many pe
ople understand them, engage with them, and feel supported as they adapt.
Producer Readiness: Facing Complexity with Collaboration
One of the most powerful throughlines across sessions was how producers are adapting to new obligations. Data collection, supply chain coordination, and program reporting have quickly emerged as make-or-break elements for compliance. “We’ve never had to compile, collect, and characterize packaging data this way,” said Ken Brown of Illinois Tool Works.
But while the work is undeniably complex, it’s not being done in isolation. “Get a partner, and a good partner. It is too complex,” advised Nathalie Dunand-Zaloum of Bel Group, a client of forum sponsor and PSI partner EVNIA Environmental Compliance Group. Producer responsibility organizations (PROs), compliance organizations, consultants, and state agencies are stepping in to offer guidance.
This matters because implementation doesn’t happen in silos. EPR will succeed only if producers, local governments, and PROs learn and iterate together.
Safety at Stake:
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The Forum also spotlighted one of the most urgent gaps in U.S. product stewardship: battery safety. Lithium-ion batteries are causing thousands of fires at recycling facilities every year. “There are an estimated 5,000 battery fires at recycling facilities every year,” said Shannon Crawford Gay of Waste Management. “Approximately every facility is dealing with 18 fires a year.”
With only a few states tackling battery EPR so far, panelists warned that the pace of legislation is not keeping up with the scale of the problem. Meanwhile, insurance concerns, transportation barriers, and fire hazards continue to mount.
This matters because packaging and battery systems don’t operate in separate universes. The new infrastructure we’re building—MRFs, collection systems, education programs—must be protected from the growing risks posed by batteries.
Beyond Recycling: A Broader Vision for Stewardship
Several sessions pushed beyond traditional recycling to explore the future of reuse, repair, and circular economy design. Discussions on textiles, compostables, and medical waste showed how product stewardship is expanding to cover not just more materials, but deeper environmental impacts.
“One garbage truck of textiles are burned or landfilled every second,” said Zoe Heller (CalRecycle). And in the compostable packaging session, Mallory Anderson (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency) highlighted that “confusing packaging labeling […] has caused a large contamination issue—really one of the largest contamination sources for compostables.”
This matters because sustainability is not just about managing waste—it’s about designing smarter systems that reduce waste in the first place.
Alex Truelove of BPI reinforced the big-picture goal: “The spirit of EPR is making sure your recycling gets recycled, your reusables get reused, and your compostables get composted.”
Costs and Communication: Telling the Right Story
The myth that EPR will cause sweeping price hikes for consumers continues to surface in debates. But the Forum offered a more nuanced—and evidence-based—perspective. “The key thing that is really important is that we are internalizing these costs—right now they are all externalized,” said Dylan de Thomas of The Recycling Partnership.
What’s needed, many agreed, is better messaging—framing EPR as an investment in infrastructure, jobs, and public safety. Effective communication helps build bipartisan support and fosters understanding among skeptical stakeholders. Joachim Quoden, Director of EXPRA, said, “The more shoulders you have, the cheaper it is for all of us.”
Where We Go From Here
In the closing session, PSI and state leaders reflected on what success could look like in the next 5 to 10 years. The answers varied: simplified compliance systems, upstream material reduction, climate-aligned metrics. But the common theme was this: the work is just beginning, and it must be done together.
Abby Boudouris of Oregon DEQ summed up the vision: “We need to redirect or expand the focus of EPR” to include upstream material extraction and broader environmental outcomes. The Forum made clear that EPR is not a fringe concept, it’s a national strategy. And strategy alone isn’t enough. The next phase will require trust, iteration, creativity, and persistence.
This matters because the stakes are high. Our waste systems are under pressure, our communities are demanding solutions, and the window for action on climate and circularity is narrowing. The 2025 Forum offered hope—not just in policy progress, but in the people driving it forward.
