Therese Umerlik

New York is unlikely to have an extended producer responsibility (EPR) law this year. The State Assembly adjourned June 17, 2025, before an EPR bill could reach the floor. Unless a special session takes place in the fall, an EPR measure will not be passed until at least 2026, according to John Richard, director of […]

July 1, 2025, is the deadline for packaging producers to register with the Minnesota extended producer responsibility (EPR) law. And the registration and reporting deadline for Colorado’s EPR law is July 30, 2025, according to Circular Action Alliance (CAA), the approved producer responsibility organization (PRO) in both states. “These dates represent the first key obligations […]

Washington’s new extended producer responsibility (EPR) law calls for a recycling needs assessment by the end of December 2027, according to packinglaw.com®. And a producer responsibility organization (PRO) must register with the state’s Department of Ecology by March 1, 2026, while producers of waste covered by the law must report to the PRO by July […]

NOVA Chemicals, Inc. is now operating three of four of its polyethylene (PE) film recycling lines at a facility in Connersville, Indiana. The plant known as SYNDIGO1 spans 450,000 square feet and will recycle 145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic film to produce over 100 million pounds of SYNDIGO™ recycled linear, low-density polyethylene (rLLDPE) suitable for […]

A company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is expanding its international operations with a $100 million investment in a new manufacturing and distribution facility in Edison, New Jersey. Hotpack Packaging Industry LLC’s 70,000-square-foot plant will create about 200 jobs over five years in its first phase of operation, according to a news release […]

Maryland became the sixth state to enact extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation for packaging, when the governor signed the measure into law. The law, which was supported by industry groups such as AMERIPEN—American Institute for Packaging and the Environment and the Flexible Packaging Association (FPA), calls for the implementation to start in July 2026. “Notably, […]

Kuraray America in Houston named Hans Vandommele president and CEO at the start of this year and promoted two others to leadership positions. Vandommele has more than 25 years of global experience in operations and business strategy, leading Kuraray America’s growth with a focus on sustainability, operational excellence, and innovation at the company even before […]

Discounts for early registration end Friday, May 16, 2025, for the Packaging Recycling Summit to be held in Texas, where recycling stakeholders will gather over three days in June. For example, the $1,295 individual rate will go up to $1,495 after Friday, according to the summit’s website, which offers other details for pricing for nonprofits […]

Charter Next Generation (CNG) recently announced that it will add 125 jobs while retaining its 1,236 positions at its two operations in northeast Ohio. The plants in Lexington and Ontario are in Richland County, where CNG intends to invest more than $106 million in facilities and advanced machinery and equipment. The Ohio Department of Development […]