If you care about New Jersey’s environment, there’s no reason to be down in the dumps. Though it doesn’t capture enough headlines, an underrated effort is underway in state capitols across the country to boost recycling and implement innovative policies that responsibly address the everyday items that end up in landfills or incinerators. New Jerseyans should be paying attention.
Regulatory frameworks being adopted by other states that implement carefully designed Extended Producer Responsibility laws are an opportunity our state can model to vastly expand the types of materials that we can reuse, building a stronger circular economy and preserving our environment for future generations.
New Jersey has a strong culture of recycling and is among the leading states nationally in rates of recycling. Still, over 60% of the things we throw away mostly end up in the garbage heap. Though times have changed, we are still largely working under the same process, rules and assumptions for recycling put in place decades ago.
A carefully designed EPR measure can provide a holistic approach to incentivize recycling that benefits the environment, economy and public health. EPR guidelines shift more of the responsibility for recycling onto the producers who make these items and can promote greater innovation and accountability. Producers are the experts in the products they make and can be essential stakeholders in finding new, innovative uses for their raw materials. Industries can bring additional resources and support regional and municipal governments in building recycling systems that keep up with the needs of the 21st century.
This year, Minnesota passed model legislation signed by Gov. Tim Walz that gained support across a variety of industries, environmental organizations and community leaders. It sets reasonable goals for implementation and includes a wide variety of materials beyond packaging like electronics, batteries and mattresses. Legislators in New York and Washington are also considering similar legislation. Unlike a more rigid measure passed in California, having these diverse stakeholders at the table resulted in a unified course of action that is more comprehensive, achievable and responsible.
An EPR policy could have enormous benefits for our state, especially for our environment. Millions of New Jerseyans and visitors alike enjoy the beaches, parks, rivers and forests in our state every year. Diverting more waste away from landfills would protect natural resources and wildlife, reduce the risk of contamination in our soils and waterways, and preserve land for more productive uses, like housing, businesses or parks. Using fewer raw materials and encouraging durable, sustainable designs would also drastically reduce the environmental impact of the things we buy.
Strengthening our circular economy also would create jobs and economic opportunities for our state. Rather than let other states take the lead and enjoy the benefits, New Jersey could enable industries to start up advanced manufacturing facilities to process recycled materials, develop new supply chains and attract a host of new companies that depend on these resources. Building, maintaining and operating these modern technologies would provide job opportunities to skilled workers across a range of professions.
Expanding recycling is the right thing to do for our state. Enabling EPR in New Jersey is an opportunity to level the playing field and incentivize industries to remain invested in the products they make long after they leave the factory floor. Policymakers in Trenton can look to other environmentally minded states for solutions that can unite a broad coalition of stakeholders and communities across the political spectrum and bring people together around the next generation of recycling. By adopting these common-sense solutions, more of today’s trash can become tomorrow’s treasure.
Michael Egenton is an executive vice president – government relations at the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.
