Don’t Kick the Can Down the Road: Next Steps in Recycling 

Don’t Kick the Can Down the Road: Next Steps in Recycling examines the future of extended producer responsibility in Maryland. 

For too long, taxpayers have footed the bill for decisions made by private actors. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) offers a model to finance recycling networks while encouraging more climate-friendly decisions by for-profit companies. As climate change becomes an ever-present reality, state and county actors must develop new tools to finance climate-friendly infrastructure and promote better decision-making.  

Don’t Kick the Can Down the Road: Next Steps in Recycling 

Description: Recycling nationally has been structured so that taxpayers bear the burden of decisions made at the corporate level. If someone buys a bottle of soda, that bottle is processed in a government-funded facility, and if that jurisdiction is lucky, they may recoup some of the recycling costs. But what if that structure was flipped on its head? Instead of taxpayers paying for recycling on the backend, what if the actual recycling costs were baked into the product and producers were encouraged to choose more environmentally friendly packaging? This is the theory behind extended producer responsibility or (EPR). This panel will explore the feasibility of EPR in Maryland, including its potential benefits and barriers.  

Speakers: 

  • Megan Daum, Vice President of Sustainability, American Beverage Association
  • Chaz Miller – Maryland Recycling Network 
  • Andrea Crooms, Director, Prince George’s Department of the Environment 
  • Lelande Rehard, Senior Associate – Policy & Programs, Product Stewardship Institute 

Moderator: The Honorable Sara Love, Maryland House of Delegates  

Date/Time: Thursday, August 17, 2023; 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 

The 2023 MACo Summer Conference will be held at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, MD, on August 16-19. This year’s theme is “Where the Rubber Meets the Road.” More information can be found on our conference website.

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