SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The volume of packaging waste ending up in Minnesota landfills has witnessed dramatic surge in recent years, following the significant rise in e-commerce deliveries. The packaging waste accounts for almost 40% of the total waste, estimates suggest.
The Legislature had passed the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act, aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of packaging made up of plastic and other non-recyclable waste and create funding for recycling efforts.
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Currently, local municipalities pay for recycling services with the help of SCORE grants from the state. However, these grants are often inadequate to fully fund the recycling efforts. The excess money required to fill the gap is collected from taxpayers. This has often become a huge burden for municipalities that run on small budgets. For instance, the City of Virginia was forced to stop curbside recycling services earlier this year.
The proposed Minnesota legislation holds manufacturers responsible for packaging waste. They will have to pay fees depending on the type and weightage of waste produced. The fees thus collected will be used to fund recycling efforts, thus protecting taxpayers from the burden. The legislation calls for all packaging to be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2032.