Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director, CA Product Stewardship Council, Sacramento, CA

In California, several EPR bills for batteries, sharps and medicines were stopped at the state level due to strong opposition by some groups. When policies cannot pass at the state level, what can local governments do? This webinar reviews what Alameda and San Francisco have done, and are doing, on taking matters into their own hands. These ordinances are similar to the plastic bag ordinances which drove state legislation in California.

The webinar also shares EPR transitional projects which can be done in partnership with retailers, distributors, and others to share the responsibility and cost of recycling/take-back programs. The CA Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) has grant projects and partnerships and can share success stories with or without EPR legislation or ordinances.

Also, CPSC has partnered with FlameKing and Manchester Tank which have redesigned the one pound propane gas cylinder tanks to be refillable for 12 years, thereby source reducing cylinder waste. This is the ultimate producer responsibility, where they redesign the product to be reusable instead of one way disposable, and we want to share this success story with you so you can reduce waste and save money for your HHW program.