\n
<\/p>\n
Circular Action Alliance (CAA)<\/a> has been confirmed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) to be the producer responsibility organization (PRO) to implement the state\u2019s Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2024, Minnesota was the fifth state to pass a law creating a statewide extended producer responsibility (EPR)<\/a> program for packaging and paper products, and with Tuesday\u2019s announcement becomes the third state to formally approve CAA as the initial PRO that will build and fund a program to manage packaging throughout the entire life cycle.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are honored to be confirmed by the MPCA as Minnesota\u2019s PRO and look forward to collaborating to advance the goals of the state\u2019s ambitious EPR law,\u201d said Jeff Fielkow, CEO for CAA<\/strong>. \u201cOver the past three years we have been building tools, processes, plans, and a strong team to implement packaging EPR programs in California, Colorado, and Oregon. This work enables us to immediately find efficiencies for producers in Minnesota, and scale best practices so we can reduce waste and recycle more in the state and across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n Under Minnesota\u2019s Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act, CAA will coordinate producers to develop plans, implement the program, provide technical assistance to producers and report on progress. Producers will pay annual fees to CAA to cover no less than 90% of the costs to collect, transfer, sort, transport, or otherwise prepare packaging and paper products for refill, reuse, recycling, or composting by 2031. \u00a0<\/p>\n In 2023, CAA became the first PRO approved to implement an EPR program for paper and packaging in the United States after being appointed as the PRO for Colorado by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment.\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2024, CAA was approved by CalRecycle as the PRO for California and was also selected by the Maryland Department of Environment to represent producer interests and serve as the single PRO on the State Producer Responsibility Advisory Council.\u00a0<\/p>\n On December 6, 2024, CAA submitted its third and final revised program plan to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and is preparing for plan approval and implementation of Oregon\u2019s Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) by July 1, 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n Companies that expect to be producers under Minnesota\u2019s Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act are encouraged to visit CAA\u2019s Producer Resource Center<\/a> to learn more and begin the registration process.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n