Minutes - Corrugated Packaging Council

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APPENDIX C 5/11/2011 U.S. Corrugated Industry Position on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Background on EPR: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the extension of the responsibility of producers for the environmental impacts of their products and packaging to the entire life cycle – and especially for their take-back, recycling, and disposal. There are several EPR programs in use in Europe and heightened awareness of environmental issues has led to EPR initiatives in North America with some Canadian provinces leading the way. In the U.S., the corrugated industry has historically supported the recovery of its products for use in our mill system and has encouraged efforts to establish a strong infrastructure for the recovery and re-use of our products. Our Position: Given the paper industry’s demonstrated commitment to support and build recovery initiatives for our products, paper-based packaging in general and corrugated products specifically, should not be asked to subsidize the collection and establishment of markets for other packaging materials. They have been categorized as widely recycled due to their infrastructure and financial incentives having been in place for many years. The burden and cost of collection systems should be placed on packaging materials that have been identified as having limited recycling or those that are not yet recycled. Packaging Category Recovery Rates 2009 Percent change in discarded tonnage 1990- 2009 Corrugated 81.3% -59% Paper-Based Packaging 71.8% -52% Aluminum 50.7% +29% Glass 39.0% -28% Plastics 13.7% +62% Source: EPA 2009 Municipal Solid Waste Characterization Study • We believe that corrugated packaging and products should be exempt from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. • Corrugated recovery is an environmental success story. • We believe that corrugated fits The Federal Trade Commission’s Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. • Most OCC is used to make new paper products. • Demand for OCC has expanded globally ensuring a viable market for U.S. recovered fiber.
APPENDIX C Support for our Position: We believe that corrugated packaging and products should be exempt from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation. An effective recovery infrastructure already exists for the recovery of corrugated packaging. Corrugated recovery is an environmental success story. In 1993, the recovery rate of Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), the ratio of total OCC recovered to containerboard supply, was 54 percent largely due to collection at grocery and department stores. In 2009, over 80 percent of OCC was recovered for recycling. This did not happen without a prolonged and focused effort. The corrugated industry introduced the “Corrugated Recycles” symbol in 1994. In 1997, the symbol was adopted internationally through the International Corrugated Case Association (ICCA). Today, that symbol is present on a significant majority of all corrugated packaging produced. We worked to develop a series of recycling case studies on non-traditional residential and commercial sources such as shopping malls, industrial cooperatives, schools and convention centers. The aim of these studies was to present a broad range of data to stimulate additional recovery programs throughout the United States. Today, the vast majority of large retail and industrial generators have contractual recovery arrangements in place. We also partnered with Keep America Beautiful and their affiliates to create community-based recovery programs through a holiday program called Boxing Days. The program provided community education and established curbside and drop-off programs that were extended and became permanent in communities where the events were held. Today, approximately 84 percent (268 million) of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs for corrugated packaging according to a 2010 American Forest & Paper Association community survey. Our industry continues to provide education on where and how to recycle our products. We believe that corrugated fits The Federal Trade Commission’s Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims. The “Green Guides” established definition of “recyclable” for a packaging material as “it can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered from the solid waste stream for reuse, or in the manufacture or assembly of another package or product, through an established recycling program.” In addition, our products meet the Guides “substantial majority threshold” of at least 60 percent of Americans having access to community recycling programs. Most OCC is used to make new paper products. Of the over 80 percent of corrugated that was recovered in 2009, 56 percent was used to make new containerboard. An additional 13 percent was used to make recycled paperboard and 28 percent was exported. Other uses include tissue, newsprint and other paper products. The average corrugated product consists of 46 percent recycled content.
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Minutes - Corrugated Packaging Council

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