Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): How New Recycling Laws Are Reshaping Packaging, Fees, And The Future Of Circularity

2026-03-09 · 31 min · episode 7 · 15 entities

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Episode description as stored

Today, Christine Yeager dives deep into one of the most transformative forces in the recycling industry: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Christine unpacks how EPR laws across the United States are reshaping packaging design, recycling infrastructure, and brand strategy — turning regulatory pressure into powerful market signals. From rising EPR fees on flexible films like plastic mailers and pet food bags to new definitions of recyclability based on collection access, sorting capability, and responsible end markets, the conversation explores how companies must rethink materials, cost models, and long-term pipeline plans. Drawing on insights from the Plastics Recycling Conference and recent developments such as CalRecycle selecting Land Bell U.S.A. to operate California’s textile EPR program, Christine breaks down what these changes mean for brands nationwide. You’ll learn how EPR fees are influencing packaging lightweighting, material optimization, and national vs. state-specific compliance strategies — and why flexible film recycling, polypropylene cups, and textile recovery programs are becoming strategic battlegrounds in the circular economy. If you’re navigating EPR compliance, sustainable packaging design, or recycling market shifts in 2026 and beyond, this episode delivers critical insights to help you turn regulation into opportunity.