SAN ANTONIO, TX – The US National League of Cities (NLC) adopted a resolution calling for producer responsibility for managing discarded products and packaging at their 86th Congress of Cities & Exposition.   The resolution also urges Congress “to protect and support the ability of local and state governments to establish producer responsibility legislation.” 

BACKGROUND
Product Stewardship – also known as Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR --  is a policy approach whereby product manufacturers are primarily responsible for the life cycle impacts of their products.  The goal of producer responsibility policies is to transfer waste management costs from taxpayers and ratepayers to producers and consumers and thereby stimulate innovation in more sustainable products and packaging.  Producer responsibility has also been identified as an important strategy to address climate change goals.

The National League of Cities serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents. Product Policy Institute provided input on a draft of the resolution.

QUOTES
“NLC’s support for the Principles for Product Stewardship calls attention to the harmful effects of consumer waste and the need to reduce a product’s life-cycle impacts. This resolution supports local government efforts to reduce adverse health and environmental impacts from consumer products by promoting responsibility by manufactures. Manufacturers and others along the product chain who take steps to reduce the environmental impact of their products, such as creating and financing take-back programs, reducing packaging, and designing products to be less toxic and easier to recycle, will also assist local governments in their efforts to reduce waste management costs by reducing the amount of trash directed to landfills.”  

• Claude Mattox, Council Member, Phoenix, Arizona, chair of the NLC Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

“I was excited to support this resolution.  The producer responsibility policy approach harnesses the tremendous capacity of capitalism and turns it towards cleaning up our environment.  Internalizing disposal costs in product prices will stimulate innovation and new ideas. 

• Sandra Colvin Roy, Council Member, Minneapolis, Minnesota; member of the NLC Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Committee.

"This resolution empowers local governments by speaking with one voice on the need for waste policy reform.  It tells Congress to protect producer responsibility legislation at the state and local levels.”

• Heidi Sanborn, Product Policy Institute Outreach Director and Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council. Sanborn addressed the NLC annual conference workshop on Product Stewardship.

RESOLUTION

• http://www.productpolicy.org/content/national-associations-epr-resolutions

CONTACTS

• Gregory Minchak, Manager, Media Relations, National League of Cities: 202-626-3003
• Sandra Colvin Roy, Council Member, Minneapolis MN:  612-673-2212
• Bill Sheehan, Product Policy Institute, Executive Director: 706-613-0710  bill@productpolicy.org
• Heidi Sanborn, PPI Outreach Director; California Product Stewardship Council, Executive Director: 916-402-3911  heidi@CalPSC.org

About National League of Cities
The National League of Cities is the oldest and largest national organization representing municipal governments throughout the United States.  Its mission is to strengthen and promote cities as centers of opportunity, leadership, and governance.  Working in partnership with the 49 state municipal leagues, the National League of Cities serves as a resource to and an advocate for the more than 19,000 cities, villages, and towns it represents.  More than 1,600 municipalities of all sizes pay dues to NLC and actively participate as leaders and voting members in the organization.   For more information, visit www.nlc.org

About Product Policy Institute
Product Policy Institute is a North American non-partisan, non-profit research, communication, and educational organization. Founded in 2003, PPI works with communities and their local governments to advocate for public policies that protect public health and safety and address climate change by encouraging waste prevention and clean production. PPI helped local governments establish Product Stewardship Councils in California, New York, Texas and Vermont, and is currently working in other states.  For more information, visit www.productpolicy.org .   P.O. Box 48433, Athens, GA  30604  *  Tel: 706-613-0710  *  info@productpolicy.org