SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The Oregon Environmental Quality Commission announced that it has finalized a statewide list of items accepted for recycling. This is prior to implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) law in the state, passed by it in 2021. Also, the Commission approved several other rules in connection with the EPR law, which are expected to go into effect by 2025 or later.
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The creation of the statewide list of materials accepted for recycling aims to reduce confusion about what items can be recycled and what cannot be. The approved list has multiple parts. One comprises of items that local governments are entitled to collect. Another part comprises of items for which producer responsibility organizations will have to arrange separate collection mechanisms.
The list has been finalized after taking into consideration the opinions expressed during stakeholder meetings and hundreds of comments submitted by the public.
The DEQ needs to address several other issues before the EPR law can be fully implemented. More details are awaited in the next round of rulemaking scheduled to be held next year. The wages of MRF employees, new performance and operating requirements for MRFs are a few among such issues. It needs to identify places where investments are required so as to ensure improvement of the state’s recycling system.