June 29, 2026
I’ve spent enough time in this industry to know that regulation usually means complication. But as extended producer responsibility (EPR) frameworks take hold across the United States, I’m seeing this as something else: a massive opportunity for converters to provide the kind of value that keeps relationships for the long haul.
While corrugated has a great story to tell as a sustainable material, the math under EPR is unforgiving. Fees are tied directly to the weight of the fiber placed into the market—period. We’re already seeing this play out in Oregon and Colorado, where programs are operational and invoices are being cut. Meanwhile, California, Minnesota, Maryland, and Washington are moving through critical reporting and implementation phases. Next is Maine.
The Lightweighting Lever
The most effective way to blunt the impact of these fees is a strategy we’ve known for years: lightweighting. But we aren’t talking about just stripping fiber out and hoping for the best.
In the past, lighter often meant weaker. That’s no longer the case. By leveraging high-performance lightweight grades, converters may be able to drop basis weights in the liner and the medium while hitting the same edge-crush test targets.
When you can deliver a box that maintains its structural integrity but weighs 10% or 15% less, you’re delivering value through a direct reduction in that customer’s compliance costs. These costs are only going to grow as more states finalize their fee structures.
The ‘Compound Interest’ of Fiber Reduction
The beauty of lightweighting is that the savings don’t stop at the EPR reporting line. It’s a ripple effect across the entire supply chain:
- Direct regulatory relief: Lower weight equals lower EPR fees (especially critical for brands shipping into the multistate “EPR block”).
- Freight efficiency: This is the one people forget. Lighter-weight boxes can mean fewer truckloads. For high-volume shippers, these efficiencies compound. It’s the difference between a project that saves a little and one that fundamentally shifts the bottom line.
- Unloading labor savings: With fewer trucks come less direct labor needed to unload.
- Other savings: Reducing truckloads can lead to improved dock efficiency and a reduced warehouse footprint.
Moving From Vendor to Essential Partner
EPR is still uncharted territory for most brand owners. They’re navigating new reporting requirements in places such as Washington and Maryland and managing fluctuating fee structures, and, frankly, a lot of them may be worried about the lack of predictability.
When a converter proactively comes to the table with a material optimization plan, the conversation changes. You’re no longer just bidding on a spec; you’re helping them manage a business risk. In my experience, when you help a customer solve a problem while lowering their total delivered cost, that’s a relationship.
Engineering the Solution
The goal isn’t to make just a lighter box; it’s to make a smarter one. As EPR frameworks continue to expand, the winners in the corrugated space will be the ones who help their customers do more with less.
Mike Butler is senior director, packaging sales, at Domtar and vice chairman of AICC’s Associate board.
