Minnesota joins several other states in confirming Circular Action Alliance as its PRO for the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act
In early 2024, Minnesota became the fifth U.S. state to enact an extended producer responsibility (EPR) law for packaging, food packaging, and paper products. The Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act requires producers — generally the brand owner, manufacturer, or importer — to appoint and join a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to coordinate and fund the statewide program. Consistent with the process laid out in the law, the MPCA confirmed Circular Action Alliance (CAA) — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, producer-led organization — as Minnesota’s initial PRO.
As Minnesota’s PRO, CAA will coordinate producers and implement a statewide program that encourages the redesign of packaging and paper products to reduce harmful environmental and human health impacts and to reduce the overall generation and waste of these materials through reduction, reuse/refill, recycling, and composting strategies. The program will expand and improve systems needed for the collection, transportation, and processing of used materials, creating more green jobs and infrastructure development. Through the PRO, producers will cover most of the costs associated with collection and management of recyclable and compostable packaging and paper products and reuse and refill systems established under the law.
“We are pleased to announce CAA as Minnesota's PRO,” said MPCA Commissioner Katrina Kessler. “CAA is well positioned to help producers of packaging, food packaging, and paper products comply with Minnesota’s extended producer responsibility law and advance the state’s efforts toward more sustainable materials management and overall waste reduction.”
CAA became the first approved PRO to implement an EPR program for packaging and paper products in the United States after the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment appointed the organization in 2023. Since then, CAA has also been selected by CalRecycle as California’s PRO, was appointed by the Maryland Department of Environment to represent producer interests on its State Producer Responsibility Advisory Council, and has submitted a final program plan to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality in preparation for the start of Oregon’s EPR program in July 2025.
Following this confirmation of CAA in Minnesota, MPCA staff will begin working with the CAA team to prepare for the next steps and upcoming deadlines outlined in the law.
Packaging EPR Advisory Board appointed
In addition to Minnesota’s PRO confirmation, the MPCA also recently announced the appointment of 18 individuals to the Packaging EPR Advisory Board. This advisory board will review activities conducted by the MPCA and the PRO and advise on program implementation. More information on the board’s role and members is on the MPCA extended producer responsibility for packaging webpage.
