Producer Responsibility in Practice: Approaches to Advancing Product Circularity

Large and small communities struggle with ever-growing waste management needs along with dwindling resources. In a "take-make-waste" society, the answer lies partly with shared resource responsibility by consumers, communities, government, and producers. Through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), responsibility is shifted upstream. EPR is a concept where producers are responsible for their products throughout the lifecycle, including product end-of-life management (such as recycling). From the editor of Handbook of Household Hazardous Waste, this is a practical guide to implementing product stewardship and extended producer responsibility in communities and businesses--beginning the process of engaging, motivating, and guiding key stakeholders in developing, legislating, and participating in a product stewardship or EPR program. Written by leading practitioners for manufacturers; local, state and federal officials and legislators; consumer product designers; solid waste management and environmental professionals; and professors and students, Producer Responsibility in Practice: A Guide for Decision Makers shares many of the ideas behind resource recovery and the circular economy, ways to effectively engage consumers, retailers, and decision makers, and how to make passing bills a reality.