Chris Carlson

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has adopted a resolution urging California lawmakers to pass legislation that the board says would shift waste management costs from local governments to product manufacturers.

The resolution calls for legislation based on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework policy passed by the California Integrated Waste Management Board in January. The policy is designed to encourage manufacturers to redesign their products to make them less toxic, more durable, and easier to reuse, recycle and compost.

“Our county is committed to continuing and expanding support for EPR policies and environmental sustainability,” said Jake McGoldrick, member of the Board of Supervisors and author of the EPR framework resolution, in a press release. “Legislation will push the EPR effort forward and promote smart design that protects the environment and saves money by preventing costly waste.”

Butte County, Calif., and San Juan Capistrano, Calif., also have passed similar resolutions that call for legislation supporting the EPR framework policy. San Francisco is the largest jurisdiction in the state to pass such a resolution.

“We are energized by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors' vision to support the effort to engage product producers to become part of the waste management solution,” said Heidi Sanborn, executive director of the Sacramento-based California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), in a press release. “We believe San Francisco and the other cities and counties that have adopted actionable EPR Framework resolutions are the first of many other local jurisdictions who will be adopting similar resolutions in the coming weeks and months.” CPSC consists of local governments and other partners and was formed to support EPR policy.