Announce to producers of throw-away products that your municipality is phasing out rate-payer and tax-payer financed management of their wastes. Producers will be expected to finance and/or and manage it themselves.
Use disposal bans to drive products into recycling and EPR programs
Help recycling programs be effective by eliminating the easy disposal options that compete for the products.
Nurture recycling through smart zoning and business licensing
Recognize recycling and reuse businesses as the mirror image of retail businesses. Make sure in-store product take-back is exempt from unnecessary regulation and that clean recycling businesses are not restricted from commercial areas by zoning rules.
Adopt local take-back laws where feasible
Where local authority and conditions permit, consider requiring take-back of hard-to-recycle products as a condition for sale in the jurisdiction.
Lobby senior levels of government for EPR legislation
Only senior governments can create a level playing field so that all brand-owners for a particular product category are subject to the same stewardship responsibilities.
Service Provider Role
Develop an exit strategy for product waste management
Phase out public management of waste products and packaging as EPR programs take over this responsibility.
Focus on organics (food scraps and yard trimmings)
Encourage development of services to provide recycling for yard trimmings and food scraps as part of the community waste system.
Take a new approach to waste characterization
Survey current waste quantities and management costs by product category rather than by material type.
Develop financing strategies for Zero Waste
Anticipate a shift from disposal fees to recycling fees, and ultimately to local government not providing recycling at all.
Consumer Role
Specify take-back in purchasing
Implement environmentally preferable purchasing with product take-back specifications.
Education & Advocacy Role
Join or start a state-wide local government-led Product Stewardship Council
Local governments speaking with one voice are the criticasl missing ingredient for changing how waste is managed — and ultimately how products are designed! Start or join a local government Council to work towards state-wide EPR Framework polices. Start by passing local EPR resolutions. There’s lot’s more.
