Minutes - Corrugated Packaging Council
Minutes - Corrugated Packaging Council
Minutes - Corrugated Packaging Council
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APPENDIX C<br />
5/11/2011<br />
U.S. <strong>Corrugated</strong> Industry Position on Extended Producer<br />
Responsibility (EPR)<br />
Background on EPR:<br />
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the extension of the responsibility of producers for<br />
the environmental impacts of their products and packaging to the entire life cycle – and<br />
especially for their take-back, recycling, and disposal.<br />
There are several EPR programs in use in Europe and heightened awareness of environmental<br />
issues has led to EPR initiatives in North America with some Canadian provinces leading the<br />
way.<br />
In the U.S., the corrugated industry has historically supported the recovery of its products for<br />
use in our mill system and has encouraged efforts to establish a strong infrastructure for the<br />
recovery and re-use of our products.<br />
Our Position:<br />
Given the paper industry’s demonstrated commitment to support and build recovery initiatives<br />
for our products, paper-based packaging in general and corrugated products specifically,<br />
should not be asked to subsidize the collection and establishment of markets for other<br />
packaging materials. They have been categorized as widely recycled due to their<br />
infrastructure and financial incentives having been in place for many years. The burden<br />
and cost of collection systems should be placed on packaging materials that have been<br />
identified as having limited recycling or those that are not yet recycled.<br />
<strong>Packaging</strong><br />
Category<br />
Recovery Rates<br />
2009<br />
Percent change in<br />
discarded tonnage 1990-<br />
2009<br />
<strong>Corrugated</strong> 81.3% -59%<br />
Paper-Based <strong>Packaging</strong> 71.8% -52%<br />
Aluminum 50.7% +29%<br />
Glass 39.0% -28%<br />
Plastics 13.7% +62%<br />
Source: EPA 2009 Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study<br />
• We believe that corrugated packaging and products should be exempt from Extended<br />
Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation.<br />
• <strong>Corrugated</strong> recovery is an environmental success story.<br />
• We believe that corrugated fits The Federal Trade Commission’s Guides for the Use of<br />
Environmental Marketing Claims.<br />
• Most OCC is used to make new paper products.<br />
• Demand for OCC has expanded globally ensuring a viable market for U.S. recovered<br />
fiber.