LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Working toward sustainable solutions on packaging

A recent article by Kimberly Redmond thoroughly reviewed Senate Bill 426, a piece of legislation under consideration that would establish an extended producer responsibility system for packaging in New Jersey. The article quoted several environmental and industry stakeholders who talked about the importance of a circular economy, which is something the companies of the American Beverage Association are working toward.

Our aluminum cans and glass and plastic bottles are recyclable, valuable and made to be remade. Through our voluntary Every Bottle Back initiative, we are intentionally designing our plastic bottles to be 100% recyclable, including the caps and investing in recycling education, access and infrastructure so that more cans and bottles become new cans and bottles. We know that voluntary action won’t achieve circularity on its own and recognize that environmental policies like EPR are necessary to move the needle.

Creating an EPR program is nuanced and complicated, and it is important that any legislation reflect the best practices from programs around the world and the good ones arriving in the states, like Colorado, which passed in June 2022. While there is work to be done on Senate Bill 426, we appreciate the willingness of Sen. Bob Smith to hear the viewpoints of all stakeholders in an effort to establish an EPR system that achieves long-term, robust environmental objectives and is financially sustainable.

As someone born and raised in New Jersey, I’m proud to recognize that my home state has always been a national leader in recycling. We look forward to working together to advance strong and sustainable solutions for reducing waste here in the Garden State.

— Megan Daum, vice president of sustainability, American Beverage Association