Partial realization of theories around EPR, PFAS mitigation, and food waste recovery are in the news this week. The twin theories of EPR are that these programs would 1) generate additional resources for recycling programs and 2) that application of these resources would improve material recovery program performance. We have an initial indication that resources can be raised, but we don’t yet know how much current government funding for recycling will be clawed back or not allocated and what the final program funding levels will be. The yet-to-be-tested proposition is how effectively these funds will be invested. Business as usual performance, particularly in the residential sector, continues to decline, and it remains to be seen whether even a return to the anemic performance of a decade ago is achievable.
In the news
This Week in Waste
Oregon’s EPR Program Releases First Performance Numbers
Circular Action Alliance, the producer responsibility organization running Oregon’s packaging EPR program, released its first set of performance data. The headline: $167.9 million in additional revenue collected to support new recycling infrastructure, almost double initial projections. There are also indicators of strong participation in the program, with nearly 3,000 participating producers and almost 410,000 tons of covered products sold. It is an important first hard data point on how the country’s original packaging EPR program is performing in practice.
Key takeaway: Early Oregon data will likely shape expectations for what front-end resource generation and participation “success” looks like in a first year of implementation. The real question is whether these resources can be channeled effectively to move the needle on resource recovery.
Sources: Waste Dive
Federal Court Blocks California’s “Truth in Recycling” Labeling Law
A federal judge granted a preliminary injunction on July 14 halting enforcement of California’s SB 343, ruling that the law’s recyclability labeling restrictions are unconstitutionally vague and that the state failed to show the rule would actually improve recycling rates, the $64,000 question regarding Oregon EPR. The ruling also raises questions for SB 54, California’s packaging EPR law, since SB 54 relies on SB 343’s recyclability definitions to set its targets.
Key takeaway: The injunction creates near-term uncertainty for any company that had been preparing to remove recyclability claims from packaging ahead of the original October 4 deadline, and it may complicate how California’s broader EPR program measures compliance going forward.
Sources: Resource Recycling ·
Waste360
EPA Issues Draft Guidance on PFAS in Biosolids
EPA released draft guidance on July 1 recommending that wastewater utilities monitor biosolids for PFAS, identify likely industrial sources, and implement pretreatment requirements to reduce contamination before it reaches sewage sludge. The guidance is voluntary for now but signals where EPA’s broader PFAS strategy for wastewater and biosolids management is headed.
Sources: EPA
NYC Council Expands Commercial Organics Diversion Authority
New York City Council passed Int. 31 on June 30, giving DSNY authority to expand commercial organics diversion requirements to a wider range of food-related businesses, including wholesalers, venues, and retail and food service establishments. The bill sets a December 1, 2026 deadline for DSNY to determine whether processing capacity and pricing are competitive enough to trigger the new requirements. A companion bill setting borough-level composting capacity minimums is still being debated.
Sources: Waste Dive ·
NYC Council Legislation
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From Oregon’s first hard EPR performance numbers to a federal injunction on California recyclability labeling, new EPA guidance on PFAS in biosolids, and NYC’s expanded organics diversion authority, this week’s news shows how far theory still has to travel before it becomes practice. A measurable, third-party standard is how that gap gets closed. Join SWEEP and help set the standard for what good waste management actually looks like.
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