Is your packaging costing you more than just material? It might be if your company doesn’t adapt to the United States’ changing recycling rules and regulations. Consider how extended producer responsibility (EPR) requirements drive costs that negatively impact your bottom line.
You need to go further than compliance. An unbiased and engineered approach can help you minimize these costs and ensure your products arrive at your customers in the manner you intended.
A Brief Overview of the EPR Landscape
EPR laws are becoming a reality in the U.S. Starting July 1, 2025, if your products are shipping into Oregon, you are already accumulating costs related to the packaging used. Colorado, Maine and California are not far behind.
Each producer will have people within their organization or consultants who will need to collect this data, report what is found and pay each state for the fees they will be charging. Each state will also have different requirements and fees, making compliance more challenging.
Navigating these differences and designing compliant packaging can be challenging for companies, even if they have internal departments that can manage the basic requirements.
Reducing material thicknesses and entertaining increased recycled material content may create risk for the products’ safe arrival. Our EPR packaging engineers take this and more into account to minimize cost, fees and potential freight damage.
Performance Standards
Each state’s EPR laws set specific targets for recycling and reuse that producers should meet. These standards are critical for meeting compliance requirements with both your PRO and your state.
Each state also determines which materials they will accept for recycling. For example, Oregon’s PRO, Circular Action Alliance (CAA), requires producers to use materials on the PRO’s recycling acceptance list to ensure high rates of successful recycling. This list includes specific metals, glass, plastics and other materials that must be separated before they can be recycled.
The Benefits of Working With Packaging Experts
There are many advantages to working with a packaging consulting firm, especially when it comes to adapting to new guidelines. Some of the reasons you might want to consider reaching out to packaging consultants for EPR guidance include:
Cost Reduction
Reduced PRO fees and minimized product damage are two of the major benefits of working with a team of packaging consultants. For example, the team at BoldtSmith works with clients and manufacturers worldwide to help companies save costs while finding solutions that adhere to regional regulations.
Damage Reduction
Minimize risk while maximizing product safety with the experienced engineers at BoldtSmith. We’ll help you identify the ideal materials for your product packaging to ensure safe transport while adhering to EPR guidelines.
Packaging Optimization
At BoldtSmith, we strive to optimize every aspect of your packaging, including EPR compliance, cost-effectiveness and more. We also give our clients ownership of their packaging specifications for every project, so they can bid out specifications to various vendors to identify the best quality and price. For more information, please reach out to our team.
BoldtSmith Redesigns Packaging to Lower Your EPR Impact
Reducing packaging waste and improving your compliance with changing recycling regulations can be difficult without assistance. At BoldtSmith, our experienced packaging consultants go beyond pointing out issues — we help you fix them so you can minimize the risk of EPR fees and fines.
With our data-backed approach, we can help you redesign your product packaging to reduce waste without sacrificing product safety during transport. Our team will work closely with you to address your specific needs and preferences for optimized compliance and quality.
Contact us today to speak to one of our experts.
