SEATTLE (Recycling Monster):  SB 901, which established a statewide Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) program for packaging, was signed into law by Maryland Governor Wes Moore. With this, Maryland joins Maine, Oregon, Colorado, California, and Minnesota as the sixth states in the United States to pass such a law.

According to the statute, the state's packaging manufacturers must finance and oversee a recycling program. It includes drinking containers as well as some paper goods and packaging. By July 1, 2028, the producers will pay half of the program's expenses. By 2029, this will rise to 75%, and by 2030, it will reach 90%.Local governments will be able to pay for the collection, transportation, and recycling of packaging materials with the assistance of the program fees.

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One distinctive aspect of Maryland's packaging EPR law is that it promotes healthy competition by permitting numerous producer responsibility organizations to function from the very beginning.

Governor Moore stated that by guaranteeing that packaging materials are appropriately recycled, the bill will contribute to the reduction of needless packaging.

The bill's supporters said that it would make communities cleaner by establishing a more effective, circular system for handling paper and packaging.