Yesterday, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a package of bills into law, including the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act sponsored by state Rep. Sydney Jordan and state Sen. Kelly Morrison, which establishes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic and packaging materials in the state. Under the new law, all packaging will be required to be reusable, recyclable, compostable, or collected by an approved alternative collection system by 2032.
In response, WWF issued the following statement from Alejandro Pérez, senior vice president, policy and government affairs:
"We are now one step closer to our goal to keep plastic out of nature. Extended Producer Responsibility policies in states like Colorado, California and now Minnesota provide the necessary infrastructure, economic incentives and accessibility for consumers to ensure plastic waste is managed sustainably. The leadership of Governor Walz and Minnesota lawmakers in enacting this transformative new law will incentivize companies to reduce their plastic footprints with responsible business practices and ensure that less waste pollutes our planet."
