San Francisco Passes Resolution Calling for Increased Product Responsibility
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors recently passed a resolution asking California legislators to create laws which place product stewardship responsibilities on product manufacturers, according to Yahoo! Finance. This originates from the ideas set forth in the Extended Producer Responsibility Framework (EPR) policy, approved in January by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
The EPR policy shifts the responsibilities and costs associated with waste management, using consistent principles across industries, from local governments to product producers. EPR encourages products to be redesigned in ways that make them less toxic and wasteful, more durable and easily repaired, and easier to reuse, recycle and compost.
As the largest jurisdiction in California to adopt a resolution such as this, the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC) supports the resolution. “We anticipate other cities and countries to adopt similar resolutions in the coming weeks and months,” said Heidi Sanborn, executive director of CPSC.
California currently enforces bans on disposal of hazardous products, without the proper authority or plans to manage them. Regulations such as these result in mandates on local governments that have increased garbage rates and taxes, without additional funding. Measures such as these, and the EPR framework, seek to encourage proper disposal and recycling across manufacturers and municipalities.
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