The American Forest & Paper Association Testifies In Opposition to EPR in Minnesota

the Minnesota State Senate’s State and Local Government and Veterans Committee convened a hearing to discuss SF 3561, or “The Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act,” which proposes extended producer responsibility (EPR) in Minnesota.

The American Forest & Paper Association’s Government Affairs Manager Frazier Willman provided written testimony in opposition to the bill.

Willman notes that the state’s forest products industry, which employs more than 23,000 residents and pays over $103 million annually in state and local taxes, has a strong sustainability track record and is committed to making paper and paper-based packaging more circular through market-based approaches. He also highlights that SF 3561 could unintentionally create a glut of unrecyclable, reusable packaging that consumers may treat as single-use products, similar to current situation with e-commerce and curbside grocery pickup in New Jersey.

Please see his full linked testimony for more information.