making manufacturers take out the trash!

Americans generate a lot of trash — some would say, much more than their “fair share.” Many people feel that each individ-ual should be responsible for reducing their own waste, perhaps along with the local community recycling program.

The reality is that cities and towns have ended up bearing most of the responsibility — and the costs — for figuring out ways to reduce waste and make recycling programs work. Over the past ten years, however, new policies challenging this conventional approach have started gaining traction. Thirty two states have now passed “producer responsibility” laws that make manufacturers pay for the collection and recycling of their products.

By extending responsibility to include manufacturers, these laws are helping to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste. They work because they make companies that design and put products into the marketplace pay for the costs of managing their products after then are discarded.

Connecticut, Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island all require manufacturers to pay for the collection and recycling of old computers and televisions. Each New England state has at least one law for products that contain mercury. Manufacturers now have a financial incentive to create products that are less toxic, more durable, or more recyclable. Thermostats, for example, are now made without mercury.

Because city and town governments bear the brunt of managing product wastes, Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund have worked with Massachusetts and Rhode Island municipalities to form Product Stewardship Councils in both states. The Councils provide a forum for local governments to address environmental and budgetary challenges posed by discarded products and packaging. The Councils also promote new policies needed to address these problems, engaging local businesses, recyclers, haulers and other stakeholders to help advance solutions.

The Massachusetts Product Stewardship Council (MAPSC), organized in 2010, is coordinated by Clean Water Action’s Lynne Pledger. Its Steering Committee represents nine municipalities and includes three city councilors, municipal recycling staff, a conservation commission committee member, and other municipal officials. In May 2011, an MAPSC panel of five municipalities testified before state lawmakers on the need for producer responsibility legislation to cover wastes from the wide array of electronics products not addressed by existing state law.

MAPSC’s Rhode Island counterpart (RIPSC) formed earlier this year and is coordinated by Clean Water Action’s Ellie Leonardsmith. Its leadership represents six urban and rural municipalities, including Providence. Legislation now being promoted with support from RIPSC members would create an overall producer responsibility structure for how products should be managed, rather than regulating wastes product-by-product.

Pledger (in Massachusetts) and Leonardsmith (in Rhode Island) are available to Clean Water Action members and others who may be interested in learning more, supporting producer responsibility campaigns, or engaging with one of the Product Stewardship Councils.