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Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act - March 2021

Introduced in 2020, sponsors Rep. Lowenthal and Sen. Merkley

PaintCare Washington - new paint EPR program began April 1, 2021

PaintCare logoThe long awaited statewide paint producer responsibility program operated by PaintCare, enacted in 2019, and overseen

Washington legislation update - February 2021

Washington's  session runs Jan. 11 to April 26, 2021:Washington needs producer responsibility (YouTube screen shot)

Oregon legislation update - February 2021

Oregon's session runs Jan. 19 to June 28, 2021:

EPR for PPP in other states

As of February 2021, packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation has been introduced in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington this year. Legislators in these nine states have joined together to fo

21 producer responsibility programs in British Columbia

A two-part, February 2021 series in Waste 360 examines British Columbia's 21 producer responsibility programs as well as Ontario's plans to update their packaging EPR program. 

Repair and repairability in France

The BBC, January 2021, reports that, in an effort to defuse the "vast amount of avoidable waste," last year France passed an "index of "repairability" ratings for appliances such as washing machines, lawnmowers, televisions and smartphones. In doing so, the French government hopes to increase the electronics repair rate to 60% within five years.

On Wishcycling and Responsibility

In the journal Discard Studies, Feb. 15, 2021, Rebecca Altman writes on the origins of the term "wishcycling" and concludes that "individualization shifts attention and agency for issues from industry and systems to individuals and their knowledge and habits." 

EPA grant for Healthy, Resilient, and Sustainable Communities

EPA Region 10 announced a grant funding opportunity open to state and local governments, tribes, nonprofits, and schools to "improve community health, resilience, and/or sustainability through pollution prevention and/or sustainable materials management implementation." EPA is hosting two informational webinars and applications are due April 30, 2021.

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