The American Conference Institute (ACI) is convening its third annual Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Think Tank in New York this January. The event brings together policymakers, brand owners, and waste management experts to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of packaging laws, state-level mandates, and compliance strategies across North America.
While the conference is physically hosted in the United States, EPR is no longer a localised regulatory issue. The US is rapidly developing state-level packaging EPR schemes, notably in California, Colorado, Oregon, and Maine. For global packaging converters and multinational brands, this patchwork of regulations is consolidating into a unified demand for highly traceable, circular materials. The discussions in New York will inevitably influence how international brands standardise their packaging designs to meet both European and North American compliance thresholds.
For UK waste companies and Turkish recyclers, these international policy shifts carry significant weight. Many UK packaging converters export to or source from global markets, meaning design-for-recycling standards established under US EPR will eventually dictate global supply chain requirements. Turkish recyclers, as key exporters of secondary polymers like rPET and rPP to Europe, must monitor how global EPR frameworks define "recyclable content" and producer obligations. As international standards align, Turkish processors who can guarantee high-quality, certified recycled resins will find themselves at a distinct advantage in a highly regulated international marketplace.
A practical takeaway for packaging converters and exporters is to audit product portfolios against the strictest regional EPR criteria—whether UK, EU, or US state-level. Designing packaging to meet the highest common denominator ensures products remain compliant and marketable across all major jurisdictions as national frameworks harmonise.
