The act requires the MPCA to complete assessments to gather critical information about packaging and paper product introduction, use and reuse, and management in Minnesota that will inform the development of the EPR program statewide. The MPCA contracted with Eunomia Research & Consulting for this work.
Needs assessment
The needs assessment will include:
- an official baseline for program measures and outcomes – including proposals for statewide requirements
- recommendations on where investments should be made in collection, sorting, and end markets
- a recommended methodology for reimbursement rates for service providers
- an evaluation of environmental improvements and accountability
- an assessment of best practices for education and outreach
Dates and tasks:
- Feb.-May 2026: data collection
- Sept. 2026: presentation of the draft report to the Packaging EPR Advisory Board
- Sept.–Nov. 2026: public comment period (60 days) for draft report
Preliminary assessment
This report captures the current state of knowledge of understanding to be built upon. This preliminary assessment does not set the baseline and is a preliminary review of the recycling and composting system.
The preliminary assessment includes:
- an overview of the characteristics of recycling and composting programs in Minnesota
- an overview of existing infrastructure
- a summary of the amount and types of covered materials introduced by producers in the state, along with the tonnages collected for recycling in the state
- high-level insight into contractual arrangements for collection